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Government social benefits accounted for almost 20% -- or 20 cents of every dollar -- of Americans' disposable income in March, a figure that's been growing amid a weak economy, stubbornly high unemployment and an aging population. As recently as the 1980s, that figure was closer to 12% or 13%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. "That (20%) is a pretty big chunk of what people have as their disposable income," says Chris Christopher, economist at IHS Global Insight.
Government benefits -- also called transfer payments -- are made to citizens by federal, state and local governments through programs such as Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance and disability insurance.
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