Recap: Social Security and Women Summit

Those familiar with AARP’s Take A Stand campaign know full-well the imperativeness of acting to preserve Social Security for all citizens, but for American women –just over 157 million of them to be exact- the stakes are even higher. On June 3 ^rd AARP brought together thought leaders  from both sides of the proverbial aisle for a Social Security and Women Summit on the specific challenges faced by women who rely on Social Security benefits.

Packing the auditorium of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, attendees were welcomed with an address from AARP New Hampshire State Director Todd Fahey who branded the summit as “a policy event, not a politics event.” In opening remarks, Governor Maggie Hassan took to the podium to stress the importance of “maintain[ing] our commitment to providing the support that our seniors deserve,” while senators Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte offered their respective good wishes via video message.

The panelists included Heritage Foundation esearch Fellow Romina Boccia, and Max Richtman of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. Moderated by AARP Government Affairs Director Cristina Martin Firvida, the bipartisan event aimed to examine the varying perspectives on the reform proposals that are frequently cited by politicians and pundits. With one fourth of women ages 65 and older relying on Social Security for the overwhelming majority of their income, the panel paid special attention to the role of Social Security survivor benefits.

Suggesting that middle-income married women tend to have more support in the household, Boccia stated that increasing survivor benefits may “disproportionately help those who are already taken care of [in retirement], rather than those who face tough choices.” Instead, she suggested that lawmakers ought to utilize some form of means testing in order to better identify and support “our most vulnerable residents who tend to be lower income individuals.”

Richtman, on the other hand, proposed an increase of survivor benefits, noting that cooling, heating, and other household expenses “are not reduced by one half [following the death of a spouse].”

To illustrate the magnitude of the benefit cut that retirees are on track to face,  AARP challenged attendees to take the Social Security Shuffle. Asking participants to put themselves in the shoes of someone whose benefits have been slashed, folks were tasked with using stickers to designate the expenses that they would cut in order to help make ends meet.

With responses ranging from reducing spending on entertainment and travel, to spending less on heating oil or taking out a reverse mortgage, the multicolored stickers blistered the whiteboard and served as a sobering reminder of the dire consequences of inaction.

Referring to Social Security as a “conversation between the generations,” Granite Stater Ruth Ellen said her concern was not for herself but for her grandchildren, “If my generation isn’t willing to make the changes necessary so that [my grandchildren’s] future can be secure … I really don’t want to talk about it I want to do something, and I think the time to do something is now when we have a presidential election that can really force the issue to the forefront because seniors vote.”