Aged SSI recipients: income, work history, and social security benefits.

A large number of aged Americans depend on Social Security benefits to stay out of poverty. Those who have very small Social Security checks, or who have none at all, rely heavily on the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program for much of their income. Most aged SSI recipients have earnings histories to explain their lack of adequate Social Security benefits. Information on these histories was obtained from a l-percent sample file cross-matched to SSI administrative files and other agency files containing data on employment histories and industry codes. These histories and related SSI program records reflect periods of low wages, periods in noncovered employment, interruptions in employment, and periods of residence outside the United States. Data show that aged women represent a large portion of the aged poor. These women are particularly prevalent not only because of their weak earnings histories, but also because of their inability to establish entitlement to Social Security benefits through marriage.