Is it just me, or the poverty guidelines are off?

[Rocio0010 5,579]

I was looking at the poverty guidelines and maybe I fail to see what their true meaning is… but for example it says that for a family of 9 the requested income is about 58k/year. How does a family of 9 survive with that income? 
Either they’re off, or hubby and I need to budget better

[Sarah&Facundo 595]

I totally agree. I also don't know how even a family of 2 can survive with $22k or whatever that guideline is for a couple either. The guidelines seem completely unrealistic. I guess it's a good thing I'm not an officer who makes these decisions!

[Verrou 1,961]

I can’t even survive with 50,000/year as single person. The poverty level is very low. I don’t understand how people can survive with their foreigner spouse if they only make $24,000/year 

Edited April 18, 2022 by Misscloud

[Redro 4,611]

48 minutes ago, Rocio0010 said:

I was looking at the poverty guidelines and maybe I fail to see what their true meaning is… but for example it says that for a family of 9 the requested income is about 58k/year. How does a family of 9 survive with that income? 
Either they’re off, or hubby and I need to budget better

If you think about it... USCIS is telling the petitioner they have to make 125% of poverty guidelines. But, if you are active duty military you only have to make 100% of the poverty guidelines. So, family of 9 needs to make $51K/year. 

 

You might find this interesting reading:

https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines/frequently-asked-questions-related-poverty-guidelines-poverty#developed

 

[Adventine 3,196]

I know some people who live comfortably on that kind of income - but they first spent years optimizing their expenses to the max. For example, they grow their own food, shop at thrift stores, drive cheap cars... and at the same time, many of them have fully paid off houses and $$$ in the bank. 

 

Of course, these people are a rarity and whoever set the USCIS poverty guidelines had the typical American profile in mind.

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, Rocio0010 said:

I was looking at the poverty guidelines and maybe I fail to see what their true meaning is… but for example it says that for a family of 9 the requested income is about 58k/year. How does a family of 9 survive with that income? 
Either they’re off, or hubby and I need to budget better

Part of it is https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/earned-income-and-earned-income-tax-credit-eitc-tables#EITC Tables

 

I helped someone file taxes who  earned less than   the standard deduction (which is about $13,000). Not only did he can all his income tax that he paid back as a refund he got the full earner income tax credit for a single person.  Total refund was $2000.  
 

Then there is the child tax credit which is normally $2000.  
 

47 minutes ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

I totally agree. I also don't know how even a family of 2 can survive with $22k or whatever that guideline is for a couple either. The guidelines seem completely unrealistic. I guess it's a good thing I'm not an officer who makes these decisions!

$22000 is $423 / week before tax or $10.57 per hour in a 40 hour work week.    I can’t conceive of one person living on so little.  
 

I am  always puzzled how people can afford to have significant others in foreign countries, fly back and forth, spend money there, and then not earn $22,000 to qualify under I-864. 

 

Edited April 18, 2022 by Mike E

[Redro 4,611]

10 minutes ago, Mike E said:

I am  always puzzled how people can afford to have significant others in foreign countries, fly back and forth, spend money there, and then not earn $22,000 to qualify under I-864. 

 

I'm thinking they probably work part-time or quit work so they have the time to travel. 

But, it looks like some people don't make multiple trips. Just one before they file the K1. 

If filing I-130 and have multiple trips maybe they put the trips on a credit card? 

You also see young people still at school petitioning their partners/people who've just arrived back from living overseas. 

 

Edited April 18, 2022 by ROK2USA

[Rocio0010 5,579]

7 hours ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

I totally agree. I also don't know how even a family of 2 can survive with $22k or whatever that guideline is for a couple either. The guidelines seem completely unrealistic. I guess it's a good thing I'm not an officer who makes these decisions!

Yeah I mean, in the end they are unrealistic in terms of how cheap they are, so that is a good thing. The standard is pretty low. But like you said, a family of two on a 22K is rough to say the least. 
We’re two plus three fur babies. Just yesterday we paid the monthly bills+mortgage for a total of $2k, so I don’t know how people do it on a 22k income. And yes, we shop at relatively inexpensive places…

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, Rocio0010 said:

 . 
We’re two plus three fur babies. Just yesterday we paid the monthly bills+mortgage for a total of $2k, so I don’t know how people do it on a 22k income. And yes, we shop at relatively inexpensive places…

So 5 people on your household are living on $2000 a month or $24,000 a year. So I guess it can be done.  

[Rocio0010 5,579]

32 minutes ago, Mike E said:

So 5 people on your household are living on $2000 a month or $24,000 a year. So I guess it can be done.  

Well, if dogs and cats count as people then yes. We're two humans. Again, we need to budget!

[Mike E 11,739]

8 hours ago, ROK2USA said:

I'm thinking they probably work part-time or quit work so they have the time to travel.

So they were already earning just $10 an hour and can afford to work part time or quit to travel?

 

Quote

 

But, it looks like some people don't make multiple trips. Just one before they file the K1.

No wonder there are so many divorces.  
 

Quote

 

If filing I-130 and have multiple trips maybe they put the trips on a credit card? 

You also see young people still at school petitioning their partners/people who've just arrived back from living overseas. 

 

So at least one spouse can afford to attend school over seas at outbid country tutoring rates and can’t produce a $23,000

a year income? In this job market?

 

I am bewildered.  But then again I’ve been of the belief that school is for getting a job and a job is for money and money is for happiness. That’s my interpretation of how the laws of physics work.  

Edited April 18, 2022 by Mike E

[Redro 4,611]

46 minutes ago, Mike E said:

So they were already earning just $10 an hour and can afford to work part time or quit to travel?

 

No wonder there are so many divorces.  
 

So at least one spouse can afford to attend school over seas at outbid country tutoring rates and can’t produce a $23,000

a year income? In this job market?

 

I am bewildered.  But then again I’ve been of the belief that school is for getting a job and a job is for money and money is for happiness. That’s my interpretation of how the laws of physics work.  

I might be an outlier or the norm? But, the majority of US/foreign couples I know live and work in Korea. So, although they make more than $23, 000 that money won't continue in the US. And I see quite a few couples meet and decide to move back to the US after 1-2 years in Korea so they don't have the X3 savings... So, joint sponsor is needed. 

Assets aren't always accepted so even if you have the savings and/or the USC moves back to the US and gets a job that meets the requirements obtaining a js is the path of least resistance... 

 

Meeting partners on a study abroad program is another avenue I've seen people meet the person they end up marrying... so many things funded by parents/scholarships or loans.... 

 

I can't talk about older men/woman with younger pairings but often they have 3-4 dependents so the requirement is higher. Either way, hopefully everyone involved makes more than the required amount and the potential immigrant plans to work so they don't actually have to live on $22k a year... 

 

[belinda63 3,033]

Reading the link the poverty guidelines are seriously flawed. It assumes a family spends 1/3 of its after-tax income on food leaving 2/3 of the income for everything else. It in no way takes into account the skyrocketing housing costs and health insurance costs. To peg the poverty guidelines on one item (food) which is relatively cheap in the US is outdated.

 

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

19 hours ago, ROK2USA said:

If you think about it... USCIS is telling the petitioner they have to make 125% of poverty guidelines. But, if you are active duty military you only have to make 100% of the poverty guidelines. So, family of 9 needs to make $51K/year. 

 

You might find this interesting reading:

https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines/frequently-asked-questions-related-poverty-guidelines-poverty#developed

 

Well for military they don't need to include money for health insurance since dependants will be covered for sure which is not always the case for every civilian job. Also there's the housing allowance that military members get which is not always enough but does cover a good portion of rent so that also doesn't need to get included in the USCIS math.

[Redro 4,611]

1 hour ago, Letspaintcookies said:

Well for military they don't need to include money for health insurance since dependants will be covered for sure which is not always the case for every civilian job. Also there's the housing allowance that military members get which is not always enough but does cover a good portion of rent so that also doesn't need to get included in the USCIS math.

I assume you are a household of 2 and if so:  can you and your partner live on $18,310 a year? Even with all the benefits military receive?