Retiring With(out) Papers: How Legal Status Shapes the Retirement Plans of Older Latino/a Immigrants in Small Town America

This grant is co-funded with the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Aging Latino/a immigrants are more likely to live in poverty, have lower education levels, own fewer financial assets, possess less wealth, and have very limited savings and retirement income. Furthermore, undocumented Latino/a immigrants are less likely to be covered by employer retirement plans, cannot access the social safety net, most banking and retirement accounts, and healthcare coverage—all of which is likely to shape their retirement plans. Sociologist Vanessa Delgado will examine how legal status and immigration laws impact the retirement plans of older, low-income Mexican immigrants. She will conduct interviews with 100 older (55+) low-income Mexican immigrants in rural Washington for her study.