Statistics

Why Pensions Are Important

This fact sheet explains the role pensions play in the overall retirement security of American workers, retirees, and their families.

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How Much Is Saved in 401(k)s

Increasingly, retirement savings plans have become the way American workers accumulate the money they will need to supplement their Social Security payments in retirement.

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Income of Today’s Older Adults

As concern about the adequacy of the nation's retirement income programs moves to the forefront of public debate, policymakers and the public are looking to statistics to argue for or against the need for reform. Because there is a wide range of data from a variety of sources, the statistics can be confusing.

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Income from Social Security

Nearly nine in ten older adults receives income from Social Security. Below are statistics on the benefits received by older adults, by average, median and relative importance.

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Income from Other Sources

Older adults also receive income from other sources, such as earnings from work, assets, and public assistance.

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Sources of Income for Older Adults

Today’s older adults typically have a number of sources of income. For most, the primary source of income is Social Security. Other sources are income from investments and other assets, pensions and other retirement plans, earnings from work and, for a small percentage, public assistance programs and veterans benefits.

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Income from Pensions

In 2011, pension benefits provided income to nearly one third of older adults. Below are some statistics on the median benefits received by older adults.

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Income Received By Different Groups

For a clearer picture of the economic status of today’s older adults, it is helpful to look at breakdowns of statistics by age, marital status, gender, and race, in addition to looking at overall income figures.

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Looking for help with your retirement plan?

If you have a problem with your retirement plan, free help may be available from the U.S. Administration on Aging's network of Pension Counseling and Information Projects. Find help now.

PensionHelp America connects people who need help with their pension, 401(k), and other retirement plans with the pension counseling projects, legal services providers, and government agencies that can help answer their questions. Visit www.pensionhelp.org.

Retirement USA

Retirement USA is a national initiative that is working for a new retirement system that, along with Social Security, will provide universal, secure, and adequate income for future retirees. Visit the website.

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In the News

Groups Give Early Praise to DOL ANPRM On Lifetime Income as a ‘Good First Step’

The Department of Labor’s recently issued advance notice of proposed rulemaking that would require lifetime income illustrations to be included on pension benefit statements is a "good first step" toward furthering retirement income education, retirement industry groups told BNA in a series of interviews.

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Did You Know?

A lump sum distribution is a method of paying benefits from a pension plan in which a participant's entire beenfit is paid out in a one-time payment. Lump sum distributions are sometimes called cash outs.