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SoCalDem

(103,856 posts)

79. Many women "of a certain age" were never "allowed" to work in a capacity

Sat Sep 28, 2013, 07:28 PM

Sep 2013

that provided a pension..

and if they did, they were also of childbearing age in a very "unfriendly" era to women who also had outside-the-home jobs (is it all that better now?)

"Wimmen's-werk" was for a very long time, waitressing, hairdressing, kidwatching, salesclerking, secretarial... all relatively low paid jobs..

Their SS work record determines their post-retirement benefit, and it should come as no surprise that it's low...and with no pension to augment it, if you are a single (not widowed) older woman, you are in deep trouble..

If I had to go it alone I would be in trouble.. my SS is $852 a month.. If I had not taken it at 62, it would be a couple of hundred ,more, but not nearly enough to live on...and that's BEFORE medicare payments come out..

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All the Older Single Ladies in Poverty [View all] xchrom Sep 2013 OP

No surprise. The top 1% have all the money, and they're not going to be giving it Dark n Stormy Knight Sep 2013 #1

The regime of ZIRP means that savers and those on fixed income, like elderly women kenny blankenship Sep 2013 #15

ZIRP is THE Biggest reason for the 1% / 99% Divide Yavin4 Sep 2013 #29

I have a master's degree (not in biz or finance, but still,,,) and I used to be in MENSA (stress Dark n Stormy Knight Sep 2013 #62

I'm taking out two CD's due next year, and simply keeping the cash. At least I'll know I have it. WinkyDink Sep 2013 #117

lots of gals trying to get by on 500/mo. SSI elehhhhna Sep 2013 #2

It's Social Security, NOT SSI, which is for the disabled. n/t duffyduff Sep 2013 #51

I receive SS of $1400 a month. RebelOne Sep 2013 #61

yep my only income is Soc. sec. under $1000/month ellenrr Sep 2013 #64

the 90 year old widows who never worked are screwed too - elehhhhna Sep 2013 #69

A widow gets 100% of her (deceased) husband's SS, SheilaT Sep 2013 #75

My mother would be 91 now if she were alive. Curmudgeoness Sep 2013 #84

Thanks. And you're right - the really desperate elderly widows on the south side of elehhhhna Sep 2013 #85

It was a low amount, but I thought that it was what the widow had earned in her own right Lydia Leftcoast Sep 2013 #92

Oh if only my ex would do me the favor....... llmart Sep 2013 #95

62 percent were "non-Hispanic whites" Divernan Sep 2013 #3

Very Sad MichaelKelley Sep 2013 #4

Uhh, the fact that they are living in deep poverty alittlelark Sep 2013 #108

Continuing War on Women. Downwinder Sep 2013 #5

"Smirk" - Republicons Berlum Sep 2013 #65

shame on us dembotoz Sep 2013 #6

This does not show the whole picture. I fit their discription and live with my grandson, his wife jwirr Sep 2013 #7

I don't get this paragraph... magical thyme Sep 2013 #8

SSI= differently funded income stream for very low income seniors, disabled, etc. Gormy Cuss Sep 2013 #25

For perspective, roughly 25% of American children live in poverty. nt Romulox Sep 2013 #9

that *does* give perspective. BlancheSplanchnik Sep 2013 #11

15% of seniors live in poverty, 25% of seniors in DC in poverty, 20% of seniors in Calif in poverty avaistheone1 Sep 2013 #60

Yes, we know that so what's your point? pitbullgirl1965 Sep 2013 #76

Talk about "Pulling the plug on Grandma." tblue Sep 2013 #10

I wonder what percentage of them vote for Republicans and are fundamentalists. JDPriestly Sep 2013 #12

Does it always have to come back to enlightenment Sep 2013 #30

I don't meant to say, "it's their own fault." JDPriestly Sep 2013 #35

I'll accept that, enlightenment Sep 2013 #40

One of the strangest things about Americans is when they don't vote for their own best interest. ellenrr Sep 2013 #68

And isn't it our responsibility as Democrats to talk to people about what their interests JDPriestly Sep 2013 #73

of course it is hard to tell people who are in financial trouble that they should vote for ellenrr Sep 2013 #123

Sanctions are much kinder than war and killing in that way. JDPriestly Sep 2013 #126

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2013 #38

As one ages, one's party is mostly a matter of habit. Religion, too. ... Hekate Sep 2013 #111

This can't be right! Aren't all Heather MC Sep 2013 #13

OK, so this topic isn't funny. Brigid Sep 2013 #16

Caregiving = Zero Years for Social Security mntleo2 Sep 2013 #14

excellent post. thanks for the info. over the last couple years the highest increase in divorce is seabeyond Sep 2013 #19

Very few women these days stay home, raise families, and don't have paying jobs. duffyduff Sep 2013 #52

Millions of them are still alive.. that may shock YOU, if you are young SoCalDem Sep 2013 #80

You don't understand the point of the post ... mntleo2 Sep 2013 #89

well, we made that choice. and we are not wealthy. we lived within our means. seabeyond Sep 2013 #90

Um, excuse me but I'm still very much alive...... llmart Sep 2013 #94

Yes! Yes! Yes! mntleo2 Sep 2013 #96

Thanks! llmart Sep 2013 #99

Spot on. Hekate Sep 2013 #112

I am one of them.. Getting a divorce a hair under 50 alittlelark Sep 2013 #110

+1000 Liberal_in_LA Sep 2013 #36

It's interesting that if two women work for each other's families for pay, the GDP goes up. SharonAnn Sep 2013 #46

That is fascinating.... alittlelark Sep 2013 #113

(Taking off glasses) Yes, Verrrry interrrresting.... mntleo2 Sep 2013 #120

I hate to say this, but that generation of women who were housewives has mostly died off. duffyduff Sep 2013 #50

Yeah, and the RW has the nerve to call food stamps theft, while endorsing Dark n Stormy Knight Sep 2013 #63

Early boomer women enlightenment Sep 2013 #83

So true! mntleo2 Sep 2013 #121

Erm, Love, boomer women got little benefit ... mntleo2 Sep 2013 #100

Tell it like it was...... llmart Sep 2013 #115

There are plenty of women in their 70's and 80's, mothers of Boomers. WinkyDink Sep 2013 #118

k&r deek Sep 2013 #104

Good grief IrishAyes Sep 2013 #17

This trend is going to reverse in the future fitman Sep 2013 #18

raising two sons, i do not want the boys to be struggling either. not a gender competition. BUT... seabeyond Sep 2013 #20

I don't think anyone should be surprised by this. ladyVet Sep 2013 #21

no more so than in past years hfojvt Sep 2013 #23

They still don't. "Older" now is the baby boomer generation and that right before it. duffyduff Sep 2013 #48

"a rapidly growing group" hfojvt Sep 2013 #22

there really is not one womens issues you do not readily dismiss. literally come into all the seabeyond Sep 2013 #26

I've noticed that. undeterred Sep 2013 #28

Me, too. chervilant Sep 2013 #70

maybe because I like to be included hfojvt Sep 2013 #33

unneeded confirmation. that is all. nt seabeyond Sep 2013 #34

unneeded snark, that is all hfojvt Sep 2013 #41

Yes. Men die earlier than women and our concern is women living alone joeglow3 Sep 2013 #49

Listen, Hon ... mntleo2 Sep 2013 #122

You are my new Hero! Sissyk Sep 2013 #124

not to enlighted about race either noiretextatique Sep 2013 #66

oh ya? well, hell, that is consistent. the three walk arm in arm. nt seabeyond Sep 2013 #77

yep noiretextatique Sep 2013 #88

Just a few starving elderly women, then. enlightenment Sep 2013 #31

As a member of this particular demographic madamesilverspurs Sep 2013 #32

at least THEY got an article hfojvt Sep 2013 #39

Ick. enlightenment Sep 2013 #42

Really? If you want to see nastiness. hfojvt Sep 2013 #44

Ah, bless your heart. enlightenment Sep 2013 #45

+1000 noiretextatique Sep 2013 #67

except that I never did any dismissing hfojvt Sep 2013 #81

Low wage workers die earlier mntleo2 Sep 2013 #101

Well, aren't you precious. Hekate Sep 2013 #109

When was the last SS raise that was above inflation? hootinholler Sep 2013 #24

with 10,000 baby boomers retiring everyday questionseverything Sep 2013 #27

Er, SS has more than two and a half trillion in the fund. Cleita Sep 2013 #55

i did not say ss was going broke at all questionseverything Sep 2013 #72

no fault divorce is one cause of this phenomenon grasswire Sep 2013 #37

not that big a cause hfojvt Sep 2013 #43

yep grasswire Sep 2013 #53

I'm one of those who are widowed. Cleita Sep 2013 #56

to me, part of that is the unfair way they price utilities hfojvt Sep 2013 #74

One can blather on and on about "investing," but if you work all your life duffyduff Sep 2013 #47

If our social security reflected the real COLA over the last Cleita Sep 2013 #54

That's what 50 to 66% of income will get you BlueToTheBone Sep 2013 #57

My mom talks about all her single older women friends in this boat. Arugula Latte Sep 2013 #58

How was this unexpected? haikugal Sep 2013 #59

women get paid less Skittles Sep 2013 #78

Exactly...and this was unknown to who? haikugal Sep 2013 #102

Excellent point. Curmudgeoness Sep 2013 #87

If you like it, then you should have put a corrective back brace on it. Warren DeMontague Sep 2013 #71

Many women "of a certain age" were never "allowed" to work in a capacity SoCalDem Sep 2013 #79

Kick! sarcasmo Sep 2013 #82

"America's ladies are not doing a great job of figuring it out on our own": way to blame the victims Hekate Sep 2013 #86

you are abso-fuckin-lutely correct. nt seabeyond Sep 2013 #91

Glad I didn't have kids! n/t PasadenaTrudy Sep 2013 #93

Thank you for speaking for us ladies in our 60's...... llmart Sep 2013 #97

Makes two of us!! haikugal Sep 2013 #103

unfortunately, what goes around does NOT come around eom deek Sep 2013 #105

women also take more time off to care for ailing parents Skittles Sep 2013 #107

We really need to be able to rec replies to OPs Barack_America Sep 2013 #129

Thank you for that Hekate Sep 2013 #132

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Sep 2013 #98

This is a problem that's affecting the elderly all across the country. cristianmarie533 Sep 2013 #106

The sad consequence of a capitalist society in which each individual or family unit needs to be self gtar100 Sep 2013 #114

K&R.......This nation's priorities are askew. Enthusiast Sep 2013 #116

Even 0.1% is unnacceptable, but are these statistics accurate enough... Silent3 Sep 2013 #119

My retirement plan is living with a couple other people close to my age Marrah_G Sep 2013 #125

22% of children live in poverty. The 24% of the population who are kids constitute 36% of all poor. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2013 #127

fuck that. it shouldn't be any one group. xchrom Sep 2013 #128

Childhood poverty has gone up about 40% in the last 15 years. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2013 #130

Whatever.nt xchrom Sep 2013 #131

Yeah, let the elderly rot in the name of "saving the kids" n/t duffyduff Sep 2013 #133

Did you read the graphs? lumberjack_jeff Sep 2013 #134