Saturday January 31, 2015

75 Years of Social Security Benefits

Social Security is 75 years old today

The first check was made out to Ida May Fuller, the first recipient of the 75-year-old retirement system we know as Social Security. “Aunt Ida”, as she was known in her hometown of Ludlow Vermont, received a check for $22.54 on January 31, 1940. She also lived well beyond her life expectancy to age 100 and received $22,888 during her retirement.

It is hard for me to think about how difficult life was for the elderly in poverty before Social Security. And while I expect much debate over the next several years about Social Security reform and what is wrong with it, there is much that is respectable. I hope that we can take one day out of the year to honor the great benefit that Social Security has had in keeping our Grandparents, parents, and elderly neighbors out of poverty. If there was ever a day to remember the great impact and the history of this program, it is today, January 31st.

To read more about the history of Ida May Fuller and the first Social Security Check, Click here.

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