all applicants. More accounts were Notes and Brief Reports established in 1956 than in 1954 for all age groups, but the increase was greater for those over age 20 than for Applicants for Account 1954. In 1956 and 1955, for example, youths. Numbers, 1956 men constituted 55 percent and 53 More than 461,000 account num- percent, respectively, of all applicants, bers were established in 1956 for per- Social security account numbers but in 1954 they made up only 47 sons aged 60 and over. Though this were established for almost 4.4 mil- percent of the total. figure was 6.8 percent less than that lion persons in 1956, bringing the The proportion of applicants under in 1955, it represented a threefold cumulative total of accounts estab- age 20 was almost the same (about increase from the number of ac- lished since the beginning of the pro- 5’7 percent) in 1956 and 1955. Slightly counts established in 1954 for per- gram to 121.7 million (table 1). The less than 2.5 million applications for sons in that age group. Applicants number established during 1956 was account numbers were received in aged 60 and over formed approxi. greater than that in any other year 1956 from persons under age 20-an mately 11 percent of all applicants since 1951 and exceeded by 1.2 per- increase of only 1.1 Percent from the in 1956 and 1955, a larger propor- cent the 1955 total. 1955 figure (table 2). In 1954, before tion than in any other year; in 1954, The increase in 1956 was largely the extension of coverage under the applicants aged 60 and over consti- the result of three factors. First, in 1954 amendments, applicants were tuted only 5.7 percent of all appli- January-March many farm operators largely new entrants into the labor cants. made application for account num. market. In that year, applicants un- Applications in 1956, like those in bers; they were covered under the der age 20 constituted 65 percent of the preceding year, reflected the 1954 amendments but did not need their account numbers until early Table 1.-Number of applicants for account numbers and cumulative number 1956, when they reported their 1955 at the end of each period, by sex and by year, 1945-56 earnings for social security purposes [In thousands] with their income-tax returns. Sec- ond, approximately 114,000 account Total Female numbers were assigned in October- - December to members of the Armed PeFlOd CUDlul8. C!UDlUl8- CUIUUl8- Total tive total Total t$%et;tE?; tin? total Forces, for whom contributory cov- at end of during at end of period period period period erage under old-age, survivors, and ------__ disability insurance was established I-- 1946.~....~...... ~..~~...... ~.. 3,321 83,825 1,817 32,997 under the Servicemen’s and Veterans’ 1946---m_.___. _. ._ .__. .-. 3,022 86,847 1,690 34,537 Survivor Beneilts Act, adopted in 1947.-..-...--....-..--.-...-.-. 2,723 89,575 1,429 36,016 1948-e.-.- ...... _. -..--- _.____ 2,720 92,295 1,415 37,431 1956. A third factor increas- 1949-e...._.__._.__.....__. ____ 2,340 94.636 1.226 38,657 1950..---...... --.-....-.... 2,RQl 97,526 1,435 40,142 ing the number of social security ac- 1951...-.~..~.-...-..~~.-~-.~..~ 4,927 102,453 2,597 42,649 count numbers was the continuing 195L.. ._._._.______-_ ____ 4,363 106,816 2,071 44.729 1953-_.---..-.--....------3,464 110,280 1,800 46,520 expansion of employment opportuni- 1954--.-.--..-.---.------.. 113.023 47,964 1955--....-.....--.------:~~~ 117,346 :%I 49,983 ties. 1956--....-...... -.. 4:370 121)722 1:985 51.563 That a relatively large number of --- the accounts established in January- March were for farm operators is Table 2.-Applicants for account numbers, by sex and age, 1956 and 1955 shown by the data, which indicate that an unusually large number of Total Male Female applicants were from agricultural ___---_- -__ -7- , States. In the region, for example, Age group Per- Per- Per- 1956 1955 centage 1955 1955 centage centage that includes Iowa, Kansas, Minne- change change change sota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Da- -- ~--__ kota, and South Dakota, new appli- Total I_-__ 4.375,276 4.321.642 2.390.528 2,303,246 +3.8 1.!%4,743 2.018,396 -1.7 ---- .- _-- __- ---~--- cations for account numbers made I I up 20 percent of all applications dur- Under XJ..-. 2,496,82O 2,470,722 1,344,884 1,321.476 +1.8 2O-24-.w...... 233,970 275,348 151,573 136,724 +lO.Q 1,151.936132,397 1,149,246 138,624 2;:; ing the first quarter of 1956 but only 25-29-w.--.-..- 152,375 139,307 90.636 72,819 61.839 66,438 -7.0 30-34----.m--.- 125,371 117,606 70,647 55,695 64,724 61.911 -11.6 8 percent of those filed in the first 3%3%.-.-.- 138,000 133.111 70,195 67,805 zx!i -13.8 quarter of 1954. 40-44---.....-- g,;;; 166,675 ;;.og 87,471 4s49---.-.--.. 182,044 97,922 101:353 When applicants for account num- 5+54-m...----. 184:675 171,479 95:672 96,421 ;;.02 87,02277,497 bers are distributed by age and sex, 56-59...... -.. 171,007 170,784 there is little difference between the 60 and ON!..- 460,816 494,666 -6.8 334,267 -12.1 167,065 60-64.-.-v-. 170,437 179,492 -6.0 109,900 -8.8 70,212 1956 applicants and those applying 65-69.-.-m.-- 125,526 152,272 -17.6 103,675 -24.1 46,834 120.792 -4.9 49,969 +13.7 in 1955. There is a significant differ- i0 and over.. 164,853 162,902 +1.2 ence, however, between the 1956 ap- * Excludes 1,039applicants in 1956(828 men and 211women) and 1.119applicants in 1966(639 men and plicants and those who applied in 480 women) whose ages were not reported.

Bulletin, 1957 13 Table 3.-Distribution of applicants for account numbers by sex, race, and million was in cash and $325.4 million age group, 1956 had been invested in Government securities. Total LMalc Fl?msls Age group ------___----- Estimates for the disability benefit payments made early in August for Total White 1 Negro Total White 1 Negro Total White 1 Negro ---~ __---___--___ July (the first month for which bene- Total-_ 4.376,315 3,922,427 453,888 2,391,183 2,174,991 216,192 1,985,132 I,i4i,436 237,696 fits are payable) place the amount -----~-___ -- at about $8.2 million. When sufficient Under 15..- 271,960 243,033 28,927 183,133 161,878 21,2j5 88,827 81,155 i,B72 data are available, the BULLETIN’S l&19.---.-. 2,224,860 1.977.751 247.109 1,161,751 133 145 1 063 109 949,145 113.964 XI-39 ______. 699,716 592,528 107,188 382,951 lJ:;,60; 34:744 ‘316:765 244,321 72,444 monthly trust fund table will be ex- 40-59.-e-e-. 717,924 670,894 47,030 368,942 355 : 462 13,480 348,982 315,432 3x 550 panded to provide continuing data on 60-64 .-.-_.. 170,437 8,434 100,225 96,361 3,864 70,212 65,642 4:570 65.69...-..m 125,526 ;6$g 7,733 78,642 74,259 3,393 46,884 43,531 3.350 both the old-age and survivors insur- i0 and over. 164,953 157:597 7,256 114,884 109, ;g 5,208 49,969 4;,!‘21 2,01x unknown.- 1,039 828 211 655 113 391 286 98 ance and the disability insurance trust funds. 1 Represents all races other than Negro. effects of coverage extension to jobs employed persons pay their contri- in which many Negroes are employed. butions on an annual basis, practi- Recent Publications* The 454,000 applications for account cally no contributions have yet been General numbers received in 1956 from Ne- received from them. By the end of June, contributions “Amendments to the Social Security groes made up 10 percent of the total Scheme in Mexico.” Industry and (table 3). Although the number of totaled $333.3 million, and the follow. Labour, Geneva, Vol. 17, June 1, these applications was 12 percent less ing amounts had been placed in the 195’7, pp. 459-461. 25 cents. disability insurance trust fund: than the number received from Ne- FINLAND. KANSANEL~ELAITOS (Pen- groes in 1955, it represented an in- sion Institute), Kertomus, 1956. crease of 41 percent from the number Amount 1957 (in millions) Helsinki : The Institute, 1957. 36 in 1954. February . . . $52.1 PP. March ...... _.._.._...... _...... 65.8 The annual report of the Pension April _. _. . . 31.2 Institute, with the table titles given May ..__....._. 118.6 in English. Includes some informa- Disability Insurance June ...... _...__...... _...._ 65.5 tion on the pension changes effective Trust Fund, By June 30, transfers totaling $3.9 January 1, 1957. January-June 1957” million had been made-the amount LANDAY, DONALD M., and NAPIER, estimated as one-ninth of the total ELIZABETH. “Characteristics of the At the end of June 1957 the trust Insured Unemployed, 1956.” Month- deposits made by the States in Feb- fund established by the Social Se- ly Labor Review, , Vol. curity Amendments of 1956 1 for the ruary-June under voluntary agree- 80, May 1957, pp. 582-586. 55 disability insurance aspects of the ments for old-age, survivors, and dis- cents. old-age, survivors, and disability in- ability insurance coverage of their MACINTYRE, DUNCAN M. “Regulation surance program had been in opera- employees (at the combined employer- of Employee Benefit Programs.” tion for 6 months. The fund operates employee rate of 4% percent of cov- Industrial and Labor Relations Re- in the same way as the old-age and ered payrolls). At the end of June, view, Ithaca, Vol. 10, July 1957, pp. survivors insurance trust fund, but interest of $1.4 million was credited 554-578. $1.50. it is entirely separate from it. to the fund. NEW ZEALAND. SOCIAL SECURITY DE- The contribution rate for the entire About $1.3 million had been with. PARTMENT. Social Security Cash Benefits in New Zealand. Welling- program, both for employer and em- drawn from the disability insurance trust fund by the end of June for ton: R. E. Owen, Govt. Printer, ployee, was raised from 2 to 2% per- 1957. 31 pp. cent of covered wages, effective Jan. reimbursement to general revenues for expenses that the Treasury De- PARSONS, TALCOTT, and SMELSER, NEIL 1, 1957, with the total increase of % J. Economy and Society: A Study of 1 percent allocated to the disability partment incurred in establishing Irz the Integration of Economic and insurance trust fund. The first con- and operating the fund. Adjustment Soda2 Theory. Glencoe, Ill.: The tributions to the new fund came from between the old-age and survivors Free Press, 1956. 322 pp. $6. the levy on wages paid in January. insurance trust fund and the disabil- “Recent Developments in Social In- A rise of 3/8 of 1 percent in ity insurance trust fund for the ex- penses of the Bureau of Old-Age and the tax on earnings from self- * Prepared in the Library, Department employment is also allocated to the Survivors Insurance and the Treas- of Health, Education. and Welfare. Orders disability insurance fund. Since self- ury Department in administering the for items listed should be directed to pub- disability insurance aspects of the lishers and booksellers; Federal publica- * Prepared by Sophie Ft. Dales. Division program will be made at or after the tions for which prices are listed should be of Program Research, Office of the Com- close of each fiscal year. ordered from the Superintendent of Doc- missioner. uments, U. S. Government Printing Office, 1 See the BulLetin, , pages Of the fund’s total assets of $337.2 Washington 25, D. C. 3-20. million held at the end of June, $11.9 (Continued on page 17)

14 Social Security