South Carolina

Program Data

Social Security

The Social Security program—Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)—provides monthly benefits to workers and their families when the worker retires, dies, or becomes disabled. The amount of the worker's retirement insurance (old-age) or disability benefit is based on the worker's level of earnings in employment or self-employment covered by the Social Security program. Monthly benefits are payable to retired workers at age 62 (with reduced benefits) or to disabled workers at any age. The benefit amount for an auxiliary or survivor beneficiary is based on a percentage of the worker's benefit. Auxiliary and survivor beneficiaries must generally meet an age, disability, or child care requirement.

A total of 48,445,900 persons received benefits for December 2005. This number included 30,474,930 retired workers, 4,746,780 widows and widowers, 6,510,420 disabled workers, 2,681,460 wives and husbands, and 4,032,310 children. Social Security beneficiaries represented 15.9 percent of the total population and 90.3 percent of the population aged 65 or older.

Retired workers received an average monthly benefit of $1,002; widows and widowers, $941 (nondisabled widows and widowers, $967); disabled workers, $938; and wives and husbands of retired and disabled workers, $484. Average benefits for children of retired, deceased, and disabled workers were $493, $656, and $278, respectively.

Monthly benefits for December 2005 totaled $44.4 billion. Of this amount, $32.0 billion was paid to retired workers and their spouses and children, $5.7 billion to survivors, and $6.6 billion to disabled workers and their spouses and children. Average and total monthly benefits include the 4.1 percent cost-of-living increase effective December 2005.

In South Carolina, benefits were paid to 773,700  persons. This number included 470,040 retired workers, 68,920  widows and widowers, 129,160 disabled workers, 31,010  wives and husbands, and 74,570  children. Social Security beneficiaries represented 18.3  percent of the total population of the state and 93.9 percent of the state's population aged 65 or older.

Retired workers in South Carolina received an average of $982 per month; widows and widowers, $867; disabled workers, $932; and wives and husbands of retired and disabled workers, $488. Average benefits for children were $514 for children of retired workers, $622 for children of deceased workers, and $286 for children of disabled workers.

Monthly benefits for December 2005 totaled $692 million. Of this amount, $480 million was paid to retired workers and their spouses and children, $82 million to survivors, and $130 million to disabled workers and their spouses and children.

Supplemental Security Income

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal cash assistance program that provides monthly payments to low-income aged, blind, and disabled persons in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The program is based on nationally uniform eligibility standards and payment levels. The federal SSI payment is determined by the recipient's countable income, living arrangement, and marital status. As of January 2006, the maximum monthly federal SSI payment for an individual living in his or her own household and with no other countable income is $603, and for a couple, $904.

A state may supplement the payment levels of all or selected categories of recipients. These supplemental payments may be administered by the state or the Social Security Administration.

In December 2005, 7,113,879 persons received federally administered SSI payments: 1,214,296 were aged and 5,899,583 were disabled or blind. A total of 1,994,511 recipients were aged 65 or older, 4,082,870 were aged 18 to 64, and 1,036,498 were under the age of 18.

The total number of persons receiving a Social Security payment, a federally administered SSI payment, or both was 53,059,074. Federally administered payments totaled $3.4 billion in December 2005: $3 billion in federal SSI payments and $366 million in state supplements. The average federally administered payment was $439. Aged persons averaged $360, and disabled and blind persons, $455.

In addition, 551,814 persons in 31 states received state-administered payments in December 2005 that totaled $69.8 million.

In South Carolina, 105,341 persons—12,303 aged and 93,038 disabled and blind—received federally administered SSI payments in December 2005. A total of 24,909 recipients were aged 65 or older, 62,046 were aged 18 to 64, and 18,386 were under the age of 18.

Federal SSI payments totaled $44.8 million. The average federal payment was $380 overall: $195 for aged recipients and $405 for disabled and blind recipients. In addition, 2,981 persons in South Carolina received state-administered supplementation in December 2005 that totaled $937,000.

In December 2005, the total number of persons in South Carolina receiving a Social Security benefit, a federally administered SSI payment, or both was 837,293.

Earnings and Employment

Social Security

Nationally, in 2004, the latest year for which state data are available, an estimated 157.0 million persons worked in employment that was covered under the Social Security (Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI)) program. They earned $4.5 trillion in Social Security taxable earnings. Employees, employers, and the self-employed paid a total of $563 billion in Social Security taxes to the OASI and DI trust funds.

In South Carolina in 2004, an estimated 2.22 million residents worked in employment covered under the Social Security program. They had $56.80 billion in Social Security taxable earnings. Employees, employers, and the self-employed paid a total of $7.04 billion in Social Security taxes.

Medicare

Nationally, in 2004, the latest year for which state data are available, an estimated 160.7 million persons worked in employment that was covered under the Medicare (Hospital Insurance, or HI) program. They earned $5.6 trillion in Medicare taxable earnings. Employees, employers, and the self-employed paid a total of $161 billion in Medicare taxes to the HI trust fund.

In South Carolina in 2004, an estimated 2.22 million residents worked in employment covered under the Medicare program. They had $62.73 billion in Medicare taxable earnings. Employees, employers, and the self-employed paid a total of $1.82 billion in Medicare taxes.