Final answer:
The number of adults over age 65 living in poverty, even with the help of Social Security, varies depending on the time period and economic conditions. At the start of the twenty-first century, the poverty rate among people over 65 fell to 9.7 percent, below the national average of 13.2 percent.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of adults over age 65 living in poverty, even with the help of Social Security, varies depending on the time period and economic conditions. At the start of the twenty-first century, the poverty rate among people over 65 fell to 9.7 percent, below the national average of 13.2 percent. However, due to the subsequent recession, the national poverty rate among the elderly had risen to 14 percent by 2010. Social Security benefits are crucial for many retired Americans to avoid poverty, with approximately 12 percent to 40 percent of retirees relying on it for all of their income.