The
Aging Network
Information Memoranda
February 26, 1998
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
AoA-IM-98-10 (OPOD)
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 : 1998 Poverty Guidelines
LEGAL AND RELATED : Older Americans Act, As Amended
REFERENCES Section 102
Purpose
This Information Memorandum transmits the 1998 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 February 24, 1998. A copy of the 1998 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 1998 poverty guidelines represent income
standards expressed in 1997 dollars (the reference to "1998"
in the 1998 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-97-05.
EFFECTIVE DATE : None
INQUIRIES TO : State agencies should address
inquiries to Regional Administrators on Aging, DHHS regional offices
ATTACHMENT : 1998 Poverty Guidelines
Jeanette C. Takamura
Assistant Secretary for Aging
1998 DHHS Poverty Guidelines
Poverty
Guidelines |
Size
of family unit |
Contiguous
(48) states and District of Columbia |
Alaska |
Hawaii |
1 |
$8,050 |
10,070 |
9,260 |
2 |
10,850 |
13,570 |
12,480 |
3 |
13,650 |
17,070 |
15,700 |
4 |
16,450 |
20,570 |
18,920 |
5 |
19,250 |
24,070 |
22,140 |
6 |
22,050 |
27,570 |
25,360 |
7 |
24,850 |
31,070 |
28,580 |
8 |
27,650 |
34,570 |
31,800 |
For family units with more than eight members, add the following
amounts for each additional family member: $2,800 (contiguous
states and the District of Columbia); $3,500 (Alaska); and $3,220
(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, February 24, 1998, (Volume 63, Number
36)] [Notices] [Page 9235-9238].
Table compiled by the U.S. Administration on Aging.
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