Appendix B: OASDI Benefit Award Data

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefit award data in the Annual Statistical Supplement are derived from two sources:

• 100 percent award data: The Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) is the major administrative database for the Social Security program. It is used for the calculation of benefits and the maintenance of information about beneficiaries. Each month, when the MBR is updated, a record of award actions is created. The 12 monthly files are combined to produce an annual file, which is used to prepare award data on a 100 percent basis.
• Award data from the OASDI 1 percent sample: This source provided monthly award data based on a 1 percent sample derived from the MBR. Some of the historical data in the time-series Tables 6.B5 and 6.C2 are based on this 1 percent sample.

When a retired-worker beneficiary subsequently becomes dually entitled to a secondary benefit as a wife, husband, or widow or widower, the secondary benefit is counted as an award in the 100 percent data. In contrast, award data that were based on the OASDI 1 percent sample did not count the secondary benefit as an award when both benefits were paid from the same trust fund.

CONTACT: (410) 965-0090 or statistics@ssa.gov.