Dmytro Kharkov

Andrew Biggs: Relationship between earnings and Social Security benefits is weak

Andrew Biggs: Relationship between earnings and Social Security benefits is weak
Earnings weakly tied to Social Security

Andrew Biggs writes that the R-squared of household lifetime earnings on household Social Security replacement rates is about 0.5, suggesting a moderate correlation.

He adds that because replacement rates do not account for longevity, the relationship between earnings and total lifetime Social Security benefits is even weaker.

Biggs has previously reported that high-income U.S. households with no poverty risk in old age collect 37% of Social Security and retirement tax benefits, according to his analysis in recent research. He has also presented findings that challenge the idea that well-funded defined benefit pensions always offer benefits equal to their costs, discussed at a conference session. These observations add context to his ongoing examination of benefit structures and distribution.

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