Military Veterans and Social Security: 2010 Update
Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 71, No. 2, pp. 1-15, 2011
15 Pages Posted: 12 May 2011 Last revised: 25 Apr 2015
Date Written: May 5, 2011
Abstract
More than 1 out of 5 adult Social Security beneficiaries has served in the military, and veterans and their families comprise 35 percent of the beneficiary population. Policymakers are particularly concerned with the economic well-being of veterans and their family members, who may receive benefits through several government programs. Using data from the March 2010 Current Population Survey (CPS), this article presents the sociodemographic characteristics of the veteran beneficiary and the total veteran populations. Relative to all Social Security beneficiaries, veteran beneficiaries are older; greater proportions are men, are married, and have higher educational attainment; and fewer are poor or near poor. Veteran beneficiary demographic trends are examined by drawing comparisons with findings from the March 2000 CPS and the March 2004 CPS. Using data from the Department of Veterans Affairs VetPop2007 projection model, this article also describes the growing proportions of women and minorities in the veteran population.
Keywords: veterans, Social Security, demographic characteristics, trends, disabled, education, poverty, war, GI Bill, benefits, women, minorities, widows, beneficiaries
JEL Classification: H55, H56, I2, I3, J1, J11, J14
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation