Even if there hasn’t been much research on never-beneficiaries, it’s nevertheless vital to examine the characteristics of this group, particularly for policymakers who care about the overall wellbeing of the elderly.
Proposals for social security minimum payments or other options targeted at low-income beneficiaries.
This may not be as successful as anticipated in reducing elderly poverty if never-beneficiaries remain ineligible for benefits and are not covered by these measures. In May 2024, millions of US citizens and immigrants will no longer be eligible for Social Security.
Who Will Not Receive Social Security In May 2024: Individuals Not Receiving Payments
The never-beneficiary population is made up of higher proportions of immigrants, women, Hispanics, singles & widows than the beneficiary population. They also have a lesser degree of education.
The poverty percentage for those who have never received benefits is 44.3%, whereas that among beneficiaries is 3.7%.
Nearly 95% of those who never got benefits didn’t work long enough in order to qualify for payments from Social Security.
The main causes of the high percentage of poverty among those who never receive benefits are laborers who work infrequently (43.2%) and late-arriving immigrants (57.2%). For workers who are not protected by insurance, the poverty rate is 8.6%.
The high poverty rate of late-arriving immigrants as well as infrequent workers is a result of their low revenues from non-Social Security sources.
Although late-arriving immigrants rely more on corporate income, they are more likely than other groups to get Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Characteristics & Demographics
It is projected that 1.6 million people, or around 4% of the 62–84 age group in 2010, would never get Social Security benefits. It is projected that the remaining older population will begin collecting Social Security benefits either later (future beneficiaries) or in 2010 for existing recipients.
Due to their age and possible eligibility for benefits, deducting earnings beyond the earnings-test exempt limit, or being eligible but not having claimed benefits, eligible but aged potential recipients did not get payments from Social Security in 2010.
| Beneficiary | Number | % Distribution |
| Current Beneficiaries | 36,451,241 | 85.9% |
| Future Beneficiaries | 4,405,826 | 10.4% |
| Never-Beneficiaries | 1,581,556 | 3.7% |
| Total | 42,438,623 | 100% |
Income & Poverty Among Late-Arriving Immigrants & Infrequent Workers
The total poverty rate among never-beneficiaries is 44.3 percent. However, the percentages of poverty among the different groups of never-beneficiaries varied significantly.
The poverty percentage for both present and prospective recipients is 3.7%. Non-covered workers and those who die before receiving benefits have poverty rates that are much closer to those of 57.2 percent of occasional workers and 43.2 percent of late-arriving immigrants in 2010.
The high rates of poverty experienced by late-arriving immigrants along with infrequent workers, who comprise around 90% of the never-beneficiary population, are the primary causes of the overall never-beneficiary poverty rate.
| Income and Poverty Among Infrequent Workers and Late-Arriving Immigrants | |
| Category | Percentage |
| Late arriving Immigrants | 43.2% |
| Infrequent Worker | 57.2% |
| Non covered Workers | 8.6% |
| Workers who die before receiving benefits | 5.4% |
Who Will Not Receive Social Security In May 2024: Eligibility
Income: You must either have a lower income or fall into a low-income category.
Resources: Resources must be less than a set maximum, which is $3,000 for couples and $2,000 for single individuals.
Senior Category: Must be aged 64 years or older and a senior citizen of the country.
Either an adult or a child: They must be unemployed & no older than eighteen.
Disability: The incapacity to work resulting from a chronic illness.
In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, a person needs to have worked and earn work credits.