Earnings Public Use File
Intro and Overview
The Earnings Public Use File (EPUF) is based on the administrative earnings records of Social Security beneficiaries who received their social security numbers before January 1, 2007. The data consist of a 1% sample and include earnings and demographic information for over 4 million individuals. The demographic data contain year of birth, sex, and earnings credits from 1937 to 1950. Then, from 1951 to 2006, the annual earnings dataset includes the yearly number of quarters of coverage or credits for earners who had positive earnings in at least one year. The demographic and annual files are linkable. The annual file contains over 60 million person-year records. The EPUF can be used to determine (most) individuals' eligibility for retired-worker and disabled-worker benefits at any point in time.
Tips for Getting Started
The methods report The 2006 Earnings Public-Use Microdata File: An Introduction Links to an external site. is essential reading for new users. Links to an external site.
Key Advantages
- Longitudinal earnings information allows for reconstruction of earnings histories.
- Simulations of changes in hypothetical disability benefits due to changes in disability incidence by sex and age or alternative benefits formulas are feasible.
Key Disadvantages
- Very limited demographic information (sex and age only)
- Earnings are capped taxable Social Security earnings, not actual earnings. Earnings above the taxable maximum are not reported, nor are noncovered earnings.
- Rounding of earnings amounts to protect confidentiality and replacement of earnings reported for person younger than 14 and older than 86 with zeros.
- Auxiliary benefits (e.g. through spouse or parent earnings records) cannot be estimated because linkages between spouses and parents are not feasible.
- Data cannot be used to estimate disability benefits.
- Death, retirement, and disability all appear as a string of zero earnings periods and cannot be distinguished.
- Precise monthly benefits cannot be computed because age at entitlement is not on the file.
Papers Using these Data
https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v71n4/v71n4p33.html Links to an external site.
https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/rsnotes/rsn2012-01.html Links to an external site.
https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/briefing-papers/bp2019-01.html Links to an external site.
Research Papers Published:
Compson, Michael. "Comparing Earnings Estimates from the 2006 Earnings Public-Use File and
the Annual Statistical Supplement."
https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/rsnotes/rsn2012-01.html Links to an external site.
Compson, Michael. "The 2006 earnings public-use microdata file: an introduction." Soc. Sec.
Bull. 71 (2011): 33.
Burtless, Gary. "Post-War Trends in Labor Income in the Social Security Earnings Public-Use File." (2013).
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