Final answer:
To determine if a head of household is 65 or over, one must simply calculate the individual's current age based on their birthdate. This information is critical for understanding the implications on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs due to the increasing elderly population in the United States, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question about calculating if the head of the household is 65 or over pertains to statistical data on age demographics, typically used in discussions about social services such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid which focus on the elderly population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there has been a significant increase in the percentage of the population over the age of 65 in the United States. In 1946, approximately one in 13 Americans was over 65, whereas by 2000, it was one in eight, and projections for 2030 suggest it will be one in five.
For the calculation, determining if someone is 65 or over is a straightforward identification of their birthdate relative to the current date. If the individual's current age is 65 or higher, then they meet the criterion. This information has significant implications for planning and funding federal programs that support the elderly population. The aging population will prompt an increase in spending on these programs, which raises concerns about the sufficiency of current funding mechanisms such as payroll taxes.