Gender Differences in Retirement Income:

Abstract

This study used a sample of retired men and women from the Social Security Administration's Master Beneficiary Record to test theoretical explanations for gender differences in retirement income. We found that although human capital/status attainment, dual economy, and labor-market segmentation theories helped to explain differences in retirement income between men and women, these factors did not totally eliminate the influence of gender on the level of retirement income. Only the family demand factor representing the continuity of marital career substantially reduced the effect of being a woman.Women who were currently and continuously married to the same man received more retirement income than women who had experienced divorce or widowhood.