Social Security is the foundation of most women's retirement income. This leg is paid for in equal amounts by both you and the government. Because these benefits are wage-based, and women have different work patterns and often work lower-paying jobs than men, women will continue to have lower Social Security payments than men.

• Currently, for those who retire at age 65, Social Security replaces about 45 percent of earnings for a worker who earned $15,000 annually and about 25 percent for a person who earned $45,000 a year. For most women, Social Security will provide a smaller retirement income than anticipated.

• Currently, if your retirement income, including half of your Social Security benefits, exceeds $25,000 as a single person you will be taxed on the excess.

• In 1970 women's average payment was 78 percent of men's; by 1995 the percentage dropped to 76 percent.

• Dually entitled women who are married tend to receive higher benefits based on their husband's (rather than their own) records. Only 36 percent of women draw benefits based on their own work record.