Economic Well-Being
Children are not economically secure unless their families are. Family Economic Security refers to a family's ability to meet its financial needs in a way that promotes the health and well-being of parents and their children in both the short and long term.
Personal or household income is generally regarded as the single best measure of the degree to which people are "well off." But other factors also contribute to people’s well-being. Some of these gauges of how people are faring at the household level including: possession of consumer durables; housing conditions; neighborhood conditions; and whether or not people can meet basic needs. Indicators of children’s well-being take a closer look at how well children progress to adulthood. Measures of child well-being include overall health, cognitive development, social interactions and completion of school.
Poverty
Poverty is pervasive in one-third of Kentucky’s counties – heavily concentrated in Appalachia.
How we measure poverty is under review as many new models have been created to determine how families are doing in the U.S. There are two different versions of the federal poverty measure: poverty thresholds and poverty guidelines. The poverty thresholds are the original version of the federal poverty measure and are updated each year by the U.S. Census Bureau. The thresholds are used mainly for statistical purposes — such as preparing estimates of the number of Americans in poverty each year.
The poverty guidelines are the other version of the federal poverty measure. They are issued each year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The guidelines are a simplification of the poverty thresholds for use for administrative purposes — such as determining financial eligibility for certain federal programs.
All official poverty population figures are calculated using the poverty thresholds, not the guidelines. The U.S. Census Bureau applies the thresholds to a family’s income to determine its poverty status, “How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty”. Also available on their website are Poverty thresholds since 1980 and weighted average poverty thresholds since 1959.
Current Reports and Initiatives
- Income Inequality Growing in Kentucky and the Nation
Kentucky ranks sixth in the nation in the growth in inequality between the top and bottom fifth of income levels over the past twenty years. What’s more, Kentucky’s gap between the richest and poorest families is 10th largest in the nation. April 2008
- The Social Consequences of Legalizing Gambling in Kentucky
The debate to allow casino gambling is preeminent as the Governor has proposed legalizing the industry. Unfortunately, in light of significant revenue shortfalls and a tight budget, the discussion surrounding the issue has become clouded by the potential increases in state revenue touted to be realized with the expansion. A decision on whether or not to expand gambling in Kentucky must set revenue projections temporarily aside and evaluate the impact an expansion would have on Kentucky's children and families. March 2008
- Payday Lending: Whittling Away at Working Families' Income
The number of payday lenders in Kentucky has more than doubled between 1999 and 2006. Working Kentuckians lose millions of dollars annually in fees paid for short-term payday loans. A newly released issue brief by Kentucky Youth Advocates calls for a clear and measured response to address the rise in payday lending, while preserving options for low-income families. February 2008
- Asset Building Coalitions Offer Free Tax Preparation
Asset building coalitions throughout the Kentucky offer free tax-preparation services for low to moderate-income families. The Kentucky Asset Success Initiative (KASI) and the Louisville Asset Building Coalition (LABC) educate Kentucky families on their ability to claim moneys and build assets through the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). January - April 2008
Learn More
- Locate free tax-preparation services sites throughout the state at the KASI website or by calling 800-456-3452.
- See the results from the 2007 Kentucky Asset Success Initiative.
- Read an overview of the Louisville Asset Building Coalition or visit their website.
- National EITC Awareness Day
Thursday, January 31, 2008 was National EITC Awareness Day, a nationwide effort to increase public awareness about EITC and free tax preparation sites. Kentucky Youth Advocates and dozens of other groups from across the Commonwealth work together to highlight free tax-prepartion sites in Kentucky.
- The High Price of Being Poor in Kentucky
You wouldn’t think being poor in Kentucky is expensive, but that’s exactly what a report by KYA and The Brookings Institution finds. Funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and co-authored by KYA’s Executive Director, Terry Brooks, “The High Price of Being Poor in Kentucky” finds that lower-income Kentuckians pay some of the highest prices in the state for basic goods and services, hindering their ability to get ahead and adding up to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars in extra costs every year.
Report | Supplemental Report | Press Release
- Blueprint for Kentucky's Children
"A Fair Opportunity for Working Adults" is part of the six-year Blueprint for Kentucky's Children, a strategic agenda for child advocacy groups across the state, organized by Kentucky Youth Advocates. The Blueprint calls for increased protection from abusive lending practices and a state-refundable EITC. Read more.