Projections
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Current Law Projections

  1. Early
    Eligibility Age
    Beneficiaries

  2. Oldest
    Old
  3. Scheduled
    vs. Payable
    Benefits
  4. Special
    Minimum
    Benefit
  5. Spousal-
    Only
    Beneficiaries
  6. Survivor-
    Only
    Beneficiaries
  7. Women
    & Dual
    Entitlement
  8. Why Will Poverty
    Decline for
    Beneficiaries?

The Oldest Old in 2050

Released: April 2012
Next expected update: Spring 2014

DEFINITION: The oldest old are beneficiaries aged 85 or older in a given year. Projections for beneficiaries aged 60 or older are provided for comparison.

In 2050, we project that:

  • The median benefit amount will be higher for the oldest old than for those aged 60 or older.
  • The poverty rate will be lower for the oldest old compared with those aged 60 or older.
Population Characteristics
Percentage with characteristic
Pie chart series linked to data in table format.
Median Benefit Amount
In 2012 dollars
Bar chart linked to data in table format.
Poverty Rate
Percentage in poverty
Bar chart linked to data in table format.
NOTE: The 2011 Trustees Report projects tax rates will be sufficient to pay 77 percent of scheduled benefits after trust fund exhaustion in 2036, often referred to as payable benefits.
SOURCE: Modeling Income in the Near Term, Version 6 (MINT6) microsimulation model using 2011 Trustees Report intermediate assumptions.