Poverty Line

Complete the budget worksheet (attached to the module) with your current monthly household income and expenses. Then identify the poverty level for your household or family size. What does this mean in terms of your monthly income compared to the official poverty level? [Do not hand in the budget form, that worksheet is only for you to use in answering the following questions.]

Questions to address:

• How would your budget have to change, if at all, if you lived at the poverty level?
• What would you cut to balance your monthly budget?
• How would you make, or have you made, those decisions?
• How does your current monthly budget compare with the levels of eligibility for and the benefits from current public assistance programs?
• How do your minimum needs compare with those of people living in poverty?

Submit a 1-2 page paper addressing the questions above.