Social Security gender disparity: Women receive $4,800 less in annual benefits

Women are more likely than men to rely on Social Security for retirement income, according to a new study from the AARP Public Policy Institute.

But on average, women receive about $4,800 less per year in Social Security retirement benefits than men, according to AARP, a provider of public policy research, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing individuals age 50 and older.

The study points to several factors that put women at a financial disadvantage after retirement.

First, women still tend to earn less than men. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median weekly wage for women in the first quarter of 2026 was $1,098, accounting for 80.6% of the median weekly wage for men of $1,362.

Second, AARP research shows that 61% of caregivers are women. As a result, they are more likely to take time off from work or reduce their working hours to devote time to caregiving responsibilities.

Both factors tend to lead women to save less for retirement and rely more on Social Security, according to AARP research.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, women tend to live on average about five years longer than men.

Research also shows that women are more likely to need care. According to JPMorgan Asset Management, the average lifetime cost of paid care for women over 65 is $350,000 compared to $250,000 for men.

These factors make claiming Social Security retirement benefits a high-stakes decision for women, financial advisors say.

As of the end of May, more than 63 million Americans, including workers, their dependents and survivors, were receiving Social Security retirement benefits, according to data from the Social Security Administration.

According to the data, women represent approximately 28 million retired worker beneficiaries and approximately 2 million spouse beneficiaries. More than 3.3 million elderly widows are also receiving benefits.

For both men and women, the age at which they decide to start Social Security retirement benefits can involve significant trade-offs.

If you claim at age 62, your earliest retirement eligibility age, you’ll receive a permanently reduced benefit. According to the Social Security Administration, assuming your full retirement age is 67, this may be only 70% of your benefit amount.

If born after 1960, beneficiaries receive 100% of the benefits they are entitled to once they reach age 67. People born before 1960 may reach full retirement age earlier.

Each time an individual waits to claim from full retirement age to age 70, they receive an 8% benefit increase.

Experts generally advise beneficiaries to wait to make a claim.

Cutting back on bills may be especially beneficial for women, who would benefit from higher monthly checks if they lived longer.

Social Security benefits are subject to annual cost-of-living adjustments to keep pace with inflation.

Because the Social Security Administration uses the 35 highest earning years to calculate benefits, women may be able to improve their earnings records by working longer hours if possible.

Individuals who claim Social Security retirement benefits before reaching full retirement age and continue to work are subject to a retirement income test, which may reduce their benefits if their income exceeds a certain threshold. But once they reach full retirement age, the test no longer applies and their benefits will be recalculated as reduced or withheld monthly amounts, according to the Social Security Administration.

Niv Persaud, a certified financial planner and managing director of Transition Planning & Guidance in Atlanta, says health and longevity are also factors prospective retirees should consider when deciding when to file a claim. One of Persaud’s clients, who is recovering from cancer, decided to claim Social Security early because she feared she didn’t have much time left to wait, she said.

It also helps to consider what other sources of retirement income you expect to have and how much you expect to spend in retirement, Persaud says.

According to AARP research, nearly 60% of women receive Social Security benefits based on their work record.

Women who have a spouse who earns more than them may be able to receive higher Social Security contributions.

According to AARP, about 5 million women receive benefits based solely on their spouse’s work performance or in combination with their own retirement benefits. Research shows these benefits average $1,110 per month.

Divorced women who were married to their ex-spouse for at least 10 years may be able to receive benefits based on their ex-spouse’s record.

Additionally, if a spouse dies, even if it is an ex-husband, a woman can claim survivor benefits based on that person’s work history.

According to AARP, about 3.3 million women over the age of 60 receive survivor benefits.

Couples with higher-income spouses may need to adjust their billing decisions.

“Determining a spouse’s claim is not just about them,” said Jeff Judge, a certified financial planner and managing director of Chesapeake Financial Planners in Forest Hill, Maryland.

If the partner receiving the higher benefit dies, the surviving spouse may inherit that amount, he said.

According to the Social Security Administration, the amount of benefits a surviving spouse receives depends on the spouse’s age and the amount the decedent was entitled to receive at the time of death. According to the agency, if the deceased spouse received a reduced benefit, the survivor benefit will also be reduced.

“Women should be very careful about that adjustment,” the judge said.

The Social Security Administration provides an estimated monthly benefit amount based on when an individual decides to claim from age 62 to age 70.

The agency may also track eligibility for spousal and survivor benefits.

Still, it’s helpful to keep earnings history and marriage records to troubleshoot errors.

The Social Security Administration cannot provide individualized advice regarding deciding when to file a claim.

Experts say it’s worth talking to someone who can crunch the numbers, and preferably a trustee who will put your best interests first.

The judge said he typically schedules a plenary meeting to discuss Social Security with his clients. He said that after educating customers and answering their questions, they leave it up to them to make insurance claims decisions.

“The difference between a good decision and a bad decision regarding Social Security is probably the difference between a financial planner’s compensation,” the judge said.