poverty guidlines

[edsperfect 25]

I have been on this site now for almost a year and there are always questions on the poverty guidlines. As i understand them you need about $16.000.00 for tow to be above the required 125%. Maybe i have been around too long or have lived too comfortable but how the hell can two people live in this country on 16,000.00.

It is only my opinion naturally but I think this figure should be raised. If you can't support a wife or a husband thenm you should not be getting married. OLd fashion i guess.

[Ban Hammer 13,678]

the figure depends really on the location one lives in. alaska is more than hawaii, alaska and hawaii more than the 48 other states:

2006 HHS Poverty Guidelines

# 48 Contiguous States/D.C. -----Alaska------ Hawaii

1 $ 9,800 -------------------------$12,250----- $11,270

2 13,200 ---------------------------16,500 ----- 15,180

3 16,600 ----------------------------20,750 ----- 19,090

4 20,000 ----------------------------25,000 ----- 23,000

5 23,400 ----------------------------29,250 ----- 26,910

6 26,800 ----------------------------33,500 ----- 30,820

7 30,200 ----------------------------37,750 ----- 34,730

8 33,600 ----------------------------42,000 ----- 38,640

For each additional person, add 3,400 4,250 3,910

http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/06poverty.shtml

Edited November 28, 2006 by charlesandnessa

[Dan+Nikki 0]

The poverty guidelines are ridiculous. A small one bedroom apt. in the Minneapolis area is going to cost you $700 a month. So that would leave you around 4,000 dollars a year for everything else including utilitys and food. I think the govt is a little out of touch with the real world.

Edited November 28, 2006 by Dan+Nikki

[PlatyPius 5]

Whereas a small one bedroom apartment here is about $300/month.

*shrugs*

However, keep in mind that these ARE the POVERTY guidelines. If you make that little, you're probably on public assistance. Or you live in a shack in the hills.

Edited November 28, 2006 by PlatyPius

[Ladylethal 12]

You'd be amazed at how many actually DO live with that or even less.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

The poverty guidelines are ridiculous. A small one bedroom apt. in the Minneapolis area is going to cost you $700 a month. So that would leave you around 4,000 dollars a year for everything else including utilitys and food. I think the govt is a little out of touch with the real world.

Move to Saint Paul. We have a spacious 700 sq. ft. for $540 a month It's not the best part of town, but if you're near poverty, you're not going to be living on Lake Calhoun.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Rent on a 2 bed apartment here in Boston is going to cost you $1300 per month for the worst places and from $2000 per month for a non-student/working area... so for 2 people $13,200 is not going to house you for very long...

A one bed appartment start at about $900 and go up to about $2000 for a good area....

Edited November 28, 2006 by Niagaenola

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

If you earn $8 an hour (which is way above the federal minimum wage) or less you your annual income will be below poverty lines!

[almaty 19]

You'd be amazed at how many actually DO live with that or even less.

i agree on that...

[edsperfect 25]

You'd be amazed at how many actually DO live with that or even less.

i agree on that...

You are all saying the same as i. What amazes me is the number of merican citizens that are looking to bring in a wife from another country and there is noway they can support themselves let alone a spouse. MYself, if i loved someone I wouldn't want them standing in line for food stamps, rent vouchers medicaid treatment and any of the other benifits we give out to the poor. Seems rather selfish to me but then this is america.

[PlatyPius 5]

I have been on this site now for almost a year and there are always questions on the poverty guidlines. As i understand them you need about $16.000.00 for tow to be above the required 125%. Maybe i have been around too long or have lived too comfortable but how the hell can two people live in this country on 16,000.00.

It is only my opinion naturally but I think this figure should be raised. If you can't support a wife or a husband thenm you should not be getting married. OLd fashion i guess.

The poverty level for 2 people is $13,200. 37 million people in the US live under the poverty level (12.7% of the population), making the US the industrialized country with the highest number of people living in poverty.

When I lived in Wyoming in 1993, I made a grand total of $5239.00 one year. My rent was $150/month for a 3 bedroom log cabin in a town of 50 people. I worked at a local restaurant in exchange for food, I cut firewood to sell and to heat the cabin, I traded services for goods, or goods for goods. I was never hungry, never without electricity.

I guess it all depends on what someone considers important. I didn't have a computer, a new car, a stereo, a TV, or any of those things. I did have a warm cabin, miles of mountains outside my door, and a town full of friends who helped each other out.

[ucla_cutie26 0]

Try a small, 1 bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, you would be paying around $1,000 for such.

[Caladan 19]

So the government should be in the business of deciding who can get married based on who has the best middle-class credentials? Should we require a car, maybe a house, maybe a couple of iPods and cellphones? Maybe check out your credit rating and rental history? Come on.

The government's only concern is how likely the person is to end up requiring government-sponsored benefits. If you meet that, how nice of a place you can afford and whether someone else thinks you're selfish (hello, you're not eligible for the benefits at $16K anyway) just simply isn't Uncle Sam's business.

[Alex+R 0]

Try a small, 1 bedroom apartment in Los Angeles, you would be paying around $1,000 for such.

Or EXTREMELY tiny studio in Brooklyn, NY for 1100.

If you made the poverty level you couldn't pay your rent.

[truffles 2]

Like an earlier poster put it...POVERTY ...however i notice the american lifestyle seems to reflect an attitude of " I want"...not a lot of balancing and understanding the difference between WANT and NEED...

I anticipate a modest lifestyle, and i am expecting to work as soon as i possibly can. It is something me and my fiance have discussed - millions of people (american couples) get married and live within a budget - noone even challenges and makes them prove they can support each other before being allowed to get married?....i apreciate the proof is required to protect the american welfare programmes from being the provider to foreigners, but it is important to try and take a balance view on this.