- Hawaii’s jobless seniors forced to tap Social Security early, By Mary Vorsino, May 10, 2010, Honolulu Advertiser: “Older Hawai’i workers who have lost jobs in the recession are exhausting unemployment benefits, spending down their nest eggs and turning to Social Security early in a trend that could threaten their long-term financial security and shows how tough the job market is for seniors. New Social Security figures show that the number of Hawai’i residents who signed up for early retirement last year – in many cases after being unable to find new jobs – was up 36 percent from 2005. Meanwhile, state figures show 22 percent of all claimants for unemployment benefits are over 55…”
- Unemployment pushes workers into early retirement, By Tamara Keith, April 28, 2010, National Public Radio: “For some older Americans who lost jobs in the Great Recession, Social Security is filling the void left when unemployment benefits run out. The Social Security Administration had predicted there would be a 15 percent increase in retirement applications last year as baby boomers reached retirement age. Instead, the increase was 20 percent…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty