Age at migration and family dependency among older Mexican immigrants: recent evidence from the Mexican American EPESE

Abstract

This study employs new data on Mexican-origin individuals aged 65 and older in the Southwestern United States to examine the impact of the age at which an individual immigrated to the United States on his or her sources of income and living arrangements. The data reveal that, in general, those who immigrated after the age of 50 are more dependent on their families than the native born or those who immigrated earlier in life. Although our findings must be interpreted cautiously because of small cell sizes, those who immigrated later in life are found to be less likely than the native born or those who immigrated earlier to have private pensions and Social Security income. They are also more likely to be living with their children and to be receiving money from them. We discuss the implications of recent restrictions on the eligibility of even legal immigrants for Supplemental Security Income on intergenerational relations and on the potential burden placed on the older immigrant's family, many of which may be seriously strained in hard economic times.