Projections
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Current Law Projections

  1. Early Eligibility
    Age Beneficiaries
    in 2050

  2. Oldest Old
    in 2050
  3. Scheduled
    vs. Payable
    Benefits
  4. Spousal-Only
    Beneficiaries
    in 2050
  5. Survivor-Only
    Beneficiaries
    in 2050
  6. Women & Dual
    Entitlement,
    2025–2080
  7. Why Will
    Poverty Decline
    for Beneficiaries?

The Oldest Old in 2050

Released: April 2012
Next expected update: Spring 2014

DEFINITION: The oldest old are beneficiaries aged 85 or older in a given year. Projections for beneficiaries aged 60 or older are provided for comparison.

In 2050, we project that:

  • The median benefit amount will be higher for the oldest old than for those aged 60 or older.
  • The poverty rate will be lower for the oldest old compared with those aged 60 or older.
Population Characteristics
Percentage with characteristic
Pie chart series linked to data in table format.
Median Benefit Amount
In 2012 dollars
Bar chart linked to data in table format.
Poverty Rate
Percentage in poverty
Bar chart linked to data in table format.
NOTE: The 2011 Trustees Report projects tax rates will be sufficient to pay 77 percent of scheduled benefits after trust fund exhaustion in 2036, often referred to as payable benefits.
SOURCE: Modeling Income in the Near Term, Version 6 (MINT6) microsimulation model using 2011 Trustees Report intermediate assumptions.