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How Did Older Workers Do in 2009?

Older workers received good news and bad news last year. Unemployment rates reached record highs for those age 55 and older. Employment rates, which fell for younger workers, did not decline for those age 62 and older. Both employment and unemployment were high because many older adults participated in the labor force. Read more

Social Security Retirement Benefit Awards Hit All-Time High

Record numbers of older men and women began collecting Social Security benefits in 2009, as the boomers continued to age and the job market weakened. Social Security benefits provide an important safety net for unemployed older adults, but early claimants receive permanently reduced benefits, threatening their future economic well-being. Read more

Research Spotlight

Rising health care costs threaten boomers' retirement security. If costs grow at the intermediate rate projected by the Medicare trustees, nearly half of adults age 65 and older will spend more than a fifth of their incomes on health care in 2040.