The average female retiree on Social Security gets a monthly benefit $300 smaller than the average male retiree. Because retirement benefits are tied to average lifetime earnings, and women have tended to earn less than men, the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit is $1,023 for women, $1,323 for men. The difference -- $300 – is about what the average American household spends on groceries per month.
Women accounted for 56 percent of Social Security beneficiaries in 2010.
Today’s infographic lays out some of the gender-gap issues facing retirees, and in “What Do Others Say?” you’ll find diverse views on the retirement, fairness, and poverty. Chip into today’s discussion thread: is the benefits gap in today’s fact surprising to you? Do you think anything should be done about it?
