The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued its annual update of the agency’s poverty guidelines, adjusted for inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. These guidelines are used as an eligibility criterion by the Community Services Block Grant program and numerous other federal programs. As explained in the notice, these guidelines are derived from the “poverty thresholds” used by the Census Bureau to estimate the number of Americans in poverty. According to the notice, the 2013 poverty guideline for a family of four is $23,550 for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, $29,440 for Alaska, and $27,090 for Hawaii. The guidelines became effective on January 24, 2013.

Link: Notice