Position on Retirement Security

Since its founding in 1881, the American Association of University Women has been committed to promoting equity for all women. As part of this effort, AAUW’s 2011-2013 Public Policy Program advocates “strengthening retirement benefits and programs, including pension improvements and protecting Social Security from privatization.”¹

The current Social Security system is more than just a retirement program; across the lifespan, it is one of the most successful anti-poverty programs in our nation’s history, providing benefits to many children, disabled workers, surviving spouses, and retirees. Older women especially benefit greatly from this program, since many depend on Social Security as their primary source of retirement income. More than half of older women would fall into poverty without Social Security benefits.² In fact, the traditional three-legged stool model for retirement—Social Security, pensions, and savings—does not support most women. The traditional model is insufficient for women because pensions and private savings options are often unavailable or inadequate for women and their work/life patterns. Reform of all three options is needed to secure financial stability for women retirees.

For more information, call 202/785-7793 or e-mail VoterEd@aauw.org.

¹ American Association of University Women. (June 2011). 2011-13 AAUW Public Policy Program. Retrieved January 14, 2011, from www.aauw.org/act/issue_advocacy/principles_priorities.cfm.

² U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee. (October 2010). Social Security Provides Economic Security to Women. Retrieved January 14, 2011, from http://jec.senate.gov/public/?a=Files.Serve&File_id=d0036901-2da3-4387-b77f-d33afffe6f7f.