Federal Poverty Guidelines
Each year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issues poverty guidelines, which are income levels below which an individual or family is considered to be living in poverty. The guidelines are sometimes referred to as the federal poverty level, or FPL.
Some ODJFS programs use the FPL to determine applicants’ eligibility for benefits. To be eligible for food stamps, for example, a family’s income cannot exceed 130 percent of the FPL. To be eligible for emergency food assistance, a family’s income cannot exceed 200 percent of the FPL. To be eligible for the Children’s Buy-In health insurance program, a family’s income cannot exceed 300 percent of the FPL.
The following chart shows what these percentages translate to in dollar amounts, for a family of four living in Ohio in 2009. To determine the FPL for larger families, add $3,740 for each additional person.
|
2009 FPL for a Family of 4: $22,050 |
|
Percentage of FPL |
Income Level |
|
100% FPL |
$22,050 |
|
130% FPL |
$28,665 |
|
200% FPL |
$44,100 |
|
300% FPL |
$66,150 |