The population of adults aged 65 and older in the U.S. is projected to increase from 12.4% in 2000 to 19.6% by 2030, or from approximately 35 million to 71 million. With this increase may come a heavier reliance of older persons on governmental programs such as Old Age and Survivor’s Insurance. Using the 2008-2012 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this study examines how older individuals have accessed governmental retirement resources in comparison to private retirement savings during times of economic prosperity and decline. Specifically, how does this access vary across the U.S. over time? What demographic, political, and economic forces influence this access at the state level?