Partial Privatization of Social Security: Assessing Its Effect on Women, Minorities, and Lower-Income Workers

This Article explains why partial privatization would likely have a disproportionately adverse effect on the benefits of three specific subpopulations: women, minorities, and lower-income workers. The Article focuses on these three groups principally because they are at a heightened risk of poverty in old age.' Since one of the fundamental purposes of Social Security is to provide for progressive redistribution to lift the elderly out of poverty, policymakers should be (and are)' concerned with how Social Security reform would likely affect these subpopulations.' Of course, not all women and minorities are at heightened risk of poverty in old age.' s To the extent that members of these groups are not at a heightened risk of poverty in old age, public policy may not dictate that Social Security reform accord them any special protection. Nevertheless, policymakers should still be aware of any disparate impact Social Security reform may have on these groups.