Social Security

The Effect of the Social Security Student Benefit on Lifetime Earnings

March 5, 2024
Susan Barnes
Financial well-being, Older workers, Survivor benefit

Between 1965 and 1981, Social Security extended eligibility for dependent benefits from age 18 to age 22 for individuals who were enrolled full-time in school. The “student benefit” ended in 1981, and past research has shown that the benefit’s elimination…

Mixed-methods Study on Work-disabled Adults Who Do Not Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits

February 5, 2024
Susan Barnes
benefit claiming, Disability, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income

Take-up gaps in safety net programs, which have been long documented in the United States and elsewhere, are an important policy question as nontake-up compromises the equity objectives and efficacy of programs. The Social Security Disability program is an example…

Application Decision-making for SSI for Children: A Qualitative Study with Beneficiary and Nonbeneficiary Families

January 30, 2024
Susan Barnes
benefit claiming, Family dynamics, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program of the Social Security Administration provides an important safety net to families of children with severe disabilities who meet specific income and asset criteria. Yet the number of children served by the program has…

Community-engaged Research into the Barriers and Communication Preferences of Rural Populations

January 30, 2024
Susan Barnes
benefit claiming, Disparities, Social Security, Social Security program communications

This qualitative research project will use in-depth interviews of rural residents to understand: a) service-related barriers to seeking government benefits in rural areas and communication preferences among rural residents; b) how service-related barriers and communication preferences vary by race/ethnicity, educational…

How Does Social Security Affect the Racial Wealth Gap?

January 15, 2024
Susan Barnes
Disparities, Financial well-being, Social Security

Mixed-method Study on Information, Communications, and Access to Government Benefits among Rural Populations

January 9, 2024
Susan Barnes
Disability insurance, Disparities, Social Security, Social Security program communications, Supplemental Security Income

Only Spot a Few Blacks the Higher I Go: Occupational Segregation and the COVID-19 Pandemic

January 9, 2024
Susan Barnes
benefit claiming, COVID-19, Disparities, Labor force participation, Social Security

Mixed-method Study on Information, Communications, and Access to Government Benefits among Rural Populations

January 4, 2024
Susan Barnes
Disability insurance, Disparities, Social Security, Social Security program communications, Supplemental Security Income

Rural communities face specific challenges to accessing information about government safety net programs that can provide essential assistance to reduce urban-rural inequalities and contribute to the rural economy. This mixed-methods study examines these challenges, and preferred methods for outreach efforts…

Only Spot a Few Blacks the Higher I Go: Occupational Segregation and the COVID-19 Pandemic

December 21, 2023
Susan Barnes
benefit claiming, COVID-19, Disparities, Labor force participation, Social Security

This project examines whether there exists a link between occupational segregation by race and labor market outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We estimate the extent to which workers employed in occupations with higher concentrations of Black workers were more likely…

How Does Social Security Affect the Racial Wealth Gap?

May 25, 2023
Susan Barnes
Disparities, Financial well-being, Social Security

The large and persistent gap by race in U.S. household wealth is a well-established empirical fact, though the causal mechanisms for wealth differentials are still a subject of much debate. Previous research on wealth inequality has shown that expanding the…