Did you know that in the state of West Virginia you must have less than $2,250 in assets per household ($3,250 if one member is over the age of 60 or disabled) to qualify for some types of assistance?
I’ve gone through a couple of financial courses and have been told that the goal is to have a savings that will cover six months of bills, but $2,250 is the limit for someone seeking food assistance. The asset limit is $100 less than six months of my car payment, to put it in perspective, so saving money while you’re receiving SNAP is a bit difficult.
Now, don’t get me wrong; There are gross and net income tests, as well as certain deductions (paying child support and child care costs, for example) applied to also determine eligibility, but let’s think about this asset limit and how that plays into the system being a hand out and not a hand up.
How is someone supposed to move from the safety net to self-reliance when they are only allowed to have $2,250 per household in assets? I mean, that’s not even two months’ rent around here in so many places. To go one better, it wouldn’t cover first month’s and last month’s rent. It is a pretty stressful start to self-reliance, in my opinion, and I imagine that almost all of us can understand how hard it is to keep up with debt once it starts rolling.
But how does that asset limit play into stereotypes of the poor? Do most folks even realize that it’s a thing? Does it change your mind to learn that there are barriers in place for folks to move from one class into another? DHHR has an online application, and I would suggest that people who haven’t filled out the paperwork go and take a look at it.
If you do check it out, pay attention to your emotional reactions. How does it feel to be asked those questions, knowing that you are doing it for less than $200/month in food assistance per person? I would love to hear your thoughts if you decide to give it a go.
There are far too many systemic barriers that get in the way of financial mobility. There is the asset limit, but there’s also the fact that there really isn’t any time for someone to get their head above water before they lose their benefits (SNAP is usually the first to go). People don’t even get a chance to catch their breath before they have to start over with little to no support. And there’s enough stress that comes with poverty, so it’s no wonder that people surrender and go back to part-time or resign their promotions. You can’t live comfortably in the safety net, but it strangles the life out of you when it’s cut out from underneath you.
So, what’s a person to do?
I don’t know anyone who feels as if they’re living their best life relying on the safety net, but I know plenty who wish it wasn’t so hard to get out of it. Look at this example: Probably six or seven years ago, I was receiving SNAP for my family. My vehicle was wrecked, and I needed it for my job. A friend told me that DHHR had a program that would help with my car, so I called to inquire about it (the working poor tend to carry high deductibles, eh). I was asked by my case manager what my case number was and replied that I didn’t think I had one. I told her I didn’t get anything but SNAP, and then was told that I didn’t qualify. I asked why and was told that the assistance was only for people who didn’t have jobs and were looking to secure employment. I became so upset by this and said, “So, if I quit my job you’ll help me with my vehicle but won’t help me to keep my job?”
I was told yes, pretty much, and was asked if there was anything else I could be helped with. I ranted about that for days.
I believe that real and honest discussions would help to smash the stereotypes of poor folks. Maybe if we can start shedding some light on the reasons why people stay poor, we can gain allies who will help to push for a system that doesn’t feed off of its own inequities. I do truly believe that, and I admit that I’m a romantic optimist at times, but still I believe that maybe we’d all be better off if we didn’t always feel the need to have our noses in other people’s ASSets. 😉
Onward,
Amy Jo
#RattleTheWindows
