Changes in the Demographic and Economic Characteristics of SSI and DI Beneficiaries
Teran Martin, Colorado College
Paul Davies, U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA)
Previous research has studied trends in program costs and changes in the number of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Disability Insurance (DI) beneficiaries. However, those studies do not specifically analyze how the demographic characteristics, sources of income, and poverty status of SSI and DI beneficiaries have changed over time. We assess these changes using administrative records from the Social Security Administration (SSA) matched to the 1984 and 1996 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). The matched SIPP-SSA data improves the accuracy of estimates of SSI and DI beneficiaries. We find substantial changes in the marital status, family size, home ownership, education level, family income, and labor force participation status of SSI and DI beneficiaries between 1984 and 1999. We discuss those changes in the context of legislative and programmatic changes between 1984 and 1999 and consider the impact of demographic changes in the general population.
Presented in Session 11: Longitudinal Relations between Aspects of Health and Disability