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The
Aging Network
Information Memoranda
March 17 1997
AoA-IM-97-05 (OPOD)
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
TO : STATE AND AREA AGENCIES ADMINISTERING PLANS UNDER
TITLE III AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS ADMINISTERING PLANS UNDER TITLE
VI OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT OF 1965, AS AMENDED
SUBJECT : 1997 Poverty Guidelines
LEGAL AND RELATED
REFERENCES : Older Americans Act, As Amended, Section 102
Purpose
This Information Memorandum transmits the 1997 update of the
poverty guidelines issued annually in the Federal Register by
the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The most recent guidelines were published in the Federal Register
of March 10, 1997. A copy of the 1997 poverty guidelines from
this notice is attached to this memorandum.
The Secretary's guidelines vary by family size and are updated
annually to account for changes in the cost of living (as measured
by the change in the average annual value of the. Consumer Price
Index or CPI-U). The 1997 poverty guidelines represent income
standards expressed in 1996 dollars (the reference to "1997"
in the 1997 guidelines is to the year of issuance). As set forth
in Part 41 of Section 102 of the Older Americans Act, as amended,
these guidelines provide guidance concerning the definition of
"greatest economic need" in Part 29 of this section.
Although the Secretary's guidelines are based on the poverty
definition which has been approved by OMB as the federal government's
statistical measure of poverty and which is maintained by the
Bureau of the Census, OMB's poverty thresholds are adjusted by
the Secretary before being converted into poverty guidelines.
The Secretary's guidelines also include higher poverty levels
for Hawaii and Alaska (115 percent and 125 percent, respectively,
of the poverty guidelines).
The information in this memorandum supersedes AoA-IM-96-04.
EFFECTIVE DATE : None
INQUIRIES TO : State agencies should address
inquiries to Regional Administrators on Aging, DHHS regional offices
ATTACHMENT : 1997 Poverty Guidelines
Robin I. Stone
Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging
1997 DHHS Poverty Guidelines
| Size
of family unit |
Poverty Guidelines |
|
Contiguous
(48) states and
District of
Columbia |
Alaska |
Hawaii |
| 1 |
$7,890 |
9,870 |
9,070 |
| 2 |
10,610 |
13,270 |
12,200 |
| 3 |
13,330 |
16,670 |
15,330 |
| 4 |
16,050 |
20,070 |
18,460 |
| 5 |
18,770 |
23,470 |
21,590 |
| 6 |
21,490 |
26,870 |
24,720 |
| 7 |
24,210 |
30,270 |
27,270 |
| 8 |
26,930 |
33,670 |
30,980 |
For family units with more than eight members,
add the following amounts for each additional family member: $2,720
(contiguous states and the District of Columbia); $3,400 (Alaska);
and $3,130 (Hawaii). In each case, the same increment applies
to smaller family sizes also, as can be seen in the figures above.
The information in this table was originally
published in the Federal Register, March 10, 1997, pp.
10856-10859.
Table compiled by the U.S. Administration
on Aging.
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