U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Policy.

Coping with the Demographic Challenge: Fewer Children and Living Longer

 
by Gayle L. Reznik, Dave Shoffner, and David A. Weaver
Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 66 No. 4, 2005/2006

Text Description for Chart 1

Fertility rates, selected years 1946–2030
Year Number of children
Historical
1946 2.86
1964 3.17
1970 2.43
1980 1.82
1990 2.07
2000 2.06
Projected a
2010 2.03
2020 2.01
2030 2.00
SOURCE: Board of Trustees (2006, Table V.A1).
a. Projected using the intermediate assumptions in the 2006 annual report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds.

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Text Description for Chart 2

Unisex cohort life expectancy at age 65, selected years 1960–2060
Year Years of increased
life expectancy
Historical
1960 15.5
1980 16.9
2000 18.0
Projected a
2005 18.3
2020 19.2
2040 20.4
2060 21.4
SOURCE: Bell and Miller (2004).
a. Projected using the intermediate assumptions in the 2004 annual report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds.

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Text Description for Chart 3

Worker-to-beneficiary ratio, selected years 1960–2060
Year Ratio
Historical
1960 5.1
1980 3.2
2000 3.4
2005 3.3
Projected a
2020 2.6
2040 2.1
2060 2.0
SOURCE: Board of Trustees (2006, Table IV.B2).
a. Projected using the intermediate assumptions in the 2006 annual report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds.

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