Final answer:
The normal retirement age for Social Security benefits is determined by the year of birth, not gender, marital status, or the number of children. The retirement of the baby boom generation will impact the Social Security program and may affect the standard of living in the U.S. due to a higher dependency ratio.
Step-by-step explanation:
The factor that affects the Social Security normal retirement age is c) Year of birth. The Social Security program in the United States uses an individual's year of birth to determine the full retirement age—when a person is eligible to receive full retirement benefits. Initially, full retirement age was set at 65, but legislation has increased it to 67 for those born after 1959. Factors such as gender, marital status, and the number of children do not affect the normal retirement age for Social Security benefits.
As the baby boom generation retires, there will be a higher ratio of retirees to workers. This demographic shift is likely to put financial pressure on the Social Security program due to a larger number of beneficiaries compared to contributing workers. Moreover, this shift could also affect the standard of living of the average American, potentially requiring changes to the program or additional financial solutions to maintain social welfare and sustain economic balance.