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Korean American seniors’ income lowest of all Asian Americans

December 11, 2014
(Yonhap)

(Yonhap)

According to a report released by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Korean Americans 65 years and over had an income average of $21,382 — the lowest among all 27  documented Asian populations in America.

This data suggests the the poverty level for low-income elderly Korean Americans may be at a critical level.

The AARP cited another study from National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) and found that in a 2013 survey, of the 20.8% of the Asian American elderly population that was surveyed, 9.5% of the participants reported incomes that put them below the U.S. poverty line of $11,670 according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Additionally, reports from the Social Security Administration (SSA) regarding Supplemental Security Income (SSI) showed that the poverty rate was the highest among the Korean American elderly.

Experts say that low English proficiency and the Korean American elderly’s dependence on their children are two major factors contributing to the issue.