Social Security Administration Data
Earnings and benefits data from the Social Security Administration. Includes information on applications for Social Security numbers; annual earnings; and receipt of old age, survivor and disability insurance (OASDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Depends on file. Includes all SSN applicants, OASDI applicants, and SSI recipients. Includes rejected applicants.
Access
Disclosure of identified data outside of the Social Security Administration is limited by various levels of legislation and policy. With a few exceptions, identified data are available only to SSA researchers. SSA may also disclose identified data to a federal, state, or local agency, tribal organization or private entity for research, evaluation, or statistical studies, and other exceptions may be made for epidemiological research. When SSA researchers collaborate with non-SSA co-investigators, only the SSA affiliate may access the identified data.
To request information from SSA, researchers should complete an electronic data exchange request form and email it to [email protected]. This form requires the agencies to provide details about the information requested, the legal authority that supports the request, the volume and frequency of the data, and any security measures to protect the data.
The agency also produces public-use microdata files (non-identified, and non-linkable to individuals) that are available to outside researchers.
Timeline for Access
Data exchanges and acquisition typically take 12 to 15 months to fully implement.
Data are collected annually for most of the files except for the files that contain information on individuals applying for SSNs (Personal Identification Number) which are collected on a quarterly basis, and the files that contain information on deceased individuals (Death Master File) which are collected weekly.
Lag Time
Most data files become available with a one-month lag, except for the files that contain information on individuals’ lifetime records of earnings, which become available with a lag of 18 months.
Cost
Costs are based on the volume of records, computer run time, staff time, and resources. Fees are charged on a cost-reimbursable basis. Further estimates or cost algorithms are not known.
Linking
The linking process for SSA files is unknown.
Identifiers Available for Linking
- Date of birth
- First and last name
- Social Security number
Linking to Outside Data Sources
The SSA links their data with administrative data from a variety of government agencies and large surveys, including data from the Census Bureau (e.g., the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)), data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the NCHS' National Health Interview Study. Data linked to the Census Bureau or the IRS are subject to additional restrictions.
The following data exchange applications contain further details about data previously shared and matched by SSA.
Data Contents
Partial List of Variables
Personal Identification Number file: name, date and place of birth, parents' names, date of death
Earnings Recording and Self-employment Income file: wages, self-employment earnings, annual total wages (1978 to present), annual self-employment earnings, annual earnings used for OASDI contributions (1951 to present), report year, individual’s SSN
Master beneficiary record: primary worker's SSN, beneficiary's own SSN, benefit application date, disposition of application (approved, denied, etc), benefit entitlement date, type of benefit, amount of benefit
Supplemental security income record: SSN, date of claim, citizenship status, income, resources, eligibility code, payment code, and payment amount
Death master file: SSN, name, date of birth, date of death, zip code of last known residence
J-PAL Randomized Evaluations Using this Data Set
Baicker, Katherine, Amy Finkelstein, Jae Song*, and Sarah Taubman. 2014. "The Impact of Medicaid on Labor Market Activity and Program Participation: Evidence from the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment." American Economic Review, 104(5): 322-28. doi: 10.1257/aer.104.5.322
Data and techniques from this evaluation are described in the online appendix.
*SSA researcher