Connecting People to Power

 Goals Achieved:  Forged Partnerships with Ann Crittenden, MOTHERS, Mocha Moms

 Goals To Date: Convene a coalition of mothers and families to successfully advocate for Social Security Credits for at-home mothers.

 Background.  Women generate fewer Social Security benefits than men, in part due to the significant wage gap between men and women; but principally because women work intermittently as a result of caretaking responsibilities.  As of 1993, only a little better than a third of women drew Social Security benefits derived from their own paid labor.  Most women do not generate high enough benefit levels to equal even half of that to which their spouse is entitled. This inadequate wage problem affects all mothers, all women  – rich and poor alike – whose primary job is to raise their sons and daughters or to care for other needy loved ones.  This problem is indefensible given the contribution that women make to the economy.  By some estimates, if we gave an overall monetary value to the unpaid care work performed primarily by women within families, it would equal a whopping $1 trillion, or 44% of the Gross national product in 1990.

What do we want? We seek earnings credit reform that would impute to caregivers $16,500 annual income for up to five years for unpaid part time and full time labor in the home caring for family members.  This means that $16,500 rather than $0 is averaged into the AIME, Average Indexed Monthly Earnings, at retirement.  The AIME is used to determine benefit levels.  In this manner, the proposal would ensure a higher benefit level for caregivers who would otherwise face drastic reductions in benefits.  Earnings credit reform would raise the retirement benefit level of at least 8 million citizens – primarily mothers, by an average of $600 per year.

Please read more at www.securemom.com.