Women's Retirement Security
In: Women's Issues
Intro -- WOMEN'S RETIREMENT SECURITY CHALLENGES AND TRENDS -- WOMEN'S RETIREMENT SECURITY CHALLENGES AND TRENDS -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- Chapter 1 RETIREMENT SECURITY: WOMEN STILL FACE CHALLENGES -- WHY GAO DID THIS STUDY -- WHAT GAO FOUND -- ABBREVIATIONS -- BACKGROUND -- Demographic and Labor Force Trends Affecting Women"s Retirement Income Security -- Sources of Retirement Income -- National Trends Affecting Retirement Security for Men and Women -- WORKING WOMEN"S ACCESS TO AND PARTICIPATION IN EMPLOYER-SPONSORED PENSION PLANS HAVE IMPROVED RELATIVE TO MEN -- Women Surpassed Men in Their Likelihood of Working for an Employer That Offers a Pension Plan -- Women Working for Employers Offering Plans Made Gains in Plan Eligibility -- The Gender Gap in Plan Participation Narrowed -- WHILE INCOME COMPOSITION CHANGED ONLY SLIGHTLY FOR WOMEN AGE 65 AND OVER, THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE LESS RETIREMENT INCOME THAN MEN -- The Composition of Income for Women and Men Age 65 and over Did Not Fluctuate Greatly Despite Changes in the Economy and Pension System -- Median Household Income for Women Age 65 and over Was 25 Percent Lower Than Men"s -- DIVORCE, WIDOWHOOD, AND UNEMPLOYMENT HAD A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON OLDER WOMEN"S INCOME SECURITY -- Became Divorced or Separated after Age 50 -- Became Widowed after Age 50 -- Became Unemployed after Age 50 -- Health Declined after Age 50 -- EXISTING POLICY OPTIONS COULD ADDRESS RETIREMENT SECURITY ISSUES FACING WOMEN -- Proposals to Expand the Use of Existing Tax Incentives to Save for Retirement -- Proposals to Expand Opportunities to Accumulate Social Security Credits -- Proposals to Expand Access to Retirement Savings and Strengthen Spousal Protections -- Proposals to Expand Opportunities for Saving Later in Life and Delay Social Security Benefit Receipt -- Proposals to Ensure Lifetime Income