Family of 4 in Ohio Needs $49,818 per Year Income

[dollardaze]

A report released this morning by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, tells that a family of 4 residing in Franklin County needs an annual income of $49,818 (Franklin County includes Columbus - Ohio's capital). This is more than double the amount declared the federal poverty level. In the same county, a single mother with a preschooler needs an income of $34,260 - this to pay for child care, food, housing and other necessities.

This report includes incomes needed in each of Ohio's 88 counties, to meet the basic needs of families, without needing assistance from the government or other types of assistance.

A revision of federal poverty guidelines set by the United States Department of Health and Human Services is being pushed by advocates of the poor, stating that the guidelines are outdated and simply not high enough. It is hoped that this report will help Ohio's legislators consider reality in the cost of self-sufficiency when they set edonomic development incentives, and the guidelines for job training, and also with assistance programs.

Philip E. Cole, who is the executive director of the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies, said that it costs a lot more to be poor than it used to be. He went on to say that this report will be provided to state leaders and to Governor Ted Strickland's anti-poverty task force, and that recommendations are expected to be made to the governor as early as this fall.

Details included in this report can be used by the state to help in ensuring that companies that are given tax breaks to locate in the state are providing jobs which pay enough for their employees to get by. This report can also be a part of classes which study personal finance in schools.

Geographical location can play a big part in housing costs, and family composition were factored into the report. Depending on the county, the self-sufficiency standard for a single adult with one preschool-age child, ranges from just under $23,000 to over $37,000. The counties which were highest-costing were those surrounding the larger cities of Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus, and the lowest-costing counties are concentrated along the southeastern section of the state as well as along the state's western border.

[moneysense]

The federal Poverty Level as it stands now is outdated. It should be revised.

The cost of living has risen significantly since these guidelines were put in effect years ago. And yet they are still used as a guideline to say what kind of help people will get when signing up for HEAP etc. Plus the fact that people with kids get more help with fuel etc than a couple alone would.

This should also be changed because the elderly have very fixed incomes and need all the help they can get when it comes to getting help with winter heating.

Changing the Poverty guidelines would also help more people get help with medical problems.

[pennypinch]

These guidelines do need to be updated and also need to reflect different areas of any given state. Some areas may have better, more reliable jobs, cheaper food, housing and so on.

I have a family of 5 and sad to say but we do not have an income near what the estimate says we need to have. We work not 1 job either but many. There just are not very many good paying jobs in my area. We have definitely learned to live within our means. I know a lot of folks who need to learn to do that.