Official Poverty Line Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Official Poverty Line?

The Official Poverty Line, also known as the Federal Poverty Level, is an indicator used by the United States government to measure poverty. It is calculated based on a person’s or family’s annual income and their size in order to determine whether they are living at or below the poverty line. The poverty line serves as a critical tool for assessing eligibility for specific programs designed to help those in need. The current federal poverty level was established in 2020 using Census Bureau data from 2018 and 2019 and consists of two separate measures: one for individuals (the Individual Poverty Line ) and one for families with more than one member (the Family Poverty Line ). The individual poverty threshold is determined by multiplying the basic food costs per person by three times; similarly, the family poverty threshold is determined by multiplying it by three times and adding $2,900 for each additional family member. In addition to being used as an eligibility requirement for certain public benefits such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid and Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF), many other organizations use this figure when determining funding allocations or making decisions about services provided to low-income populations. Several states have also adopted variations of the official federal definition that account for regional cost differences when calculating their own state-level thresholds. Overall, while there may not be a single number that can accurately reflect what it means to live in poverty across all different types of communities, households and economic situations nationwide, the Official Poverty Level provides an important baseline standard used widely throughout our society today.