Reflective Essay On Poverty

Reflective Essay On Poverty
Highest income capital of the world but we have poverty in and around us everyday. We have all this money but we fall short in helping others. Over
the past couple weeks I have come to realize that many people look past the poverty in our very own home towns. As I look through this I realize many
different things put in place to keep us safe and to better our poverty levels,sadly they honestly have done the complete opposite of that. Throughout
this class we have covered many different articles that have to do with poverty the main two I want to focus on, "Big Pharma Profits From Our
Heartbreak", " Health is a Membership" also, "The Top 10 Solutions to Cut Poverty and Grow the Middle Class." First and foremost, "Big Pharma
Profits From Our Heartbreak" by Josh Wilkey, this article starts out by talking about how his Grandmother a drug addict who struggled through life
because of poverty. She went through life using people which caused her family to slowly want nothing to do with her because of her addiction. The
main reason for looking at this is to press how we as Americans let this go on. Drug addicts don't become addicted to drugs on there own there could be
,any battles that they face on day to day base. The main one of them all,poverty this may not seem huge but the problem in our world today people who
have no money leads them to turn to something else whether it be drugs or alcohol. This article goes on to say that poverty may be the root of this. John
Wilkey says,
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Raising Minimum Wage
The average minimum wage worker normally makes only $15,080 annually(). This is hardly enough to afford a one–bedroom apartment in America.
This a very hard lifestyle to live off of. The average full–time worker, normally makes roughly around $50,000. Increasing minimum wage pay does not
help lower poverty rates, decrease prices of goods or services, or create more job opportunities.
When increasing minimum wage, most people would expect and think that would take more people out of poverty and poverty rates in America would
lower. However, raising minimum wage pay will only make poverty rates increase. When you increase minimum wage pay, the only people that are
profiting from that are people that were originally not making minimum wage pay. If an employer raises pay for the minimum wage makers, they will
most likely have to raise pay for all the workers in the company. Doing this will only profit the workers that were already being well paid. Doing this
will actually reduce working hours. This is because companies will have to pay workers more if they work more hours. If companies do this they will
need to be making more money to be able to pay all of their workers, that are all doing different jobs in which require a different amount of pay. This
causes companies to have to reduce working hours and have to reduce workers to be able to pay their employees. When raising minimum wage, this
makes families that are near–poverty more abundant (). When companies are putting

Living Paycheck At Paycheck : A Common Occurrence Of...
Living paycheck to paycheck is a common occurrence in society today, especially for women. About 42 million women live near or below the poverty
line, and about 28 million children depend on women as mothers. The story of Katrina Gilbert, a a single woman living in poverty, is told in Paycheck
to Paycheck and it representatives the lives of many other women who are in her position.
Katrina was previously married and is now separated. They were married for about eight years before he developed a drug addiction. The drug
addiction was to expensive for the family to pay for along with other bills, so Katrina separated him. She feels that the marriage left her with nothing
but her three children and as if those years of her life were wasted especially in terms of career and economic success. After her divorce, she did not
have a job, and therefore, no source of income. She looked for a job for 8 months until she was hired at a home for elderly people. Here she makes
$9.49 and hour. Katrina never thought she would be a single mother in this situation. She once had a supportive and present husband, and so she did not
have a job that would allow her to be the sole provider for the family. Society molds mothers into the homemakers and fathers into the providers. This
dynamic can often cause mothers to be poor and unprepared if the husband ever leaves. Like Katrina, women can be thrown into this situation, and it is
often not their fault. Society forced her into a scenario in
which

My Opinion Of The Initial Training For The Program
Your opinion of the initial training for the program: During the winter session, we had a course in which is intend to get students accustomed to the
software, we were given a basic tax assignment to complete. This was a great way to get used to a new software that we have never experienced before.
It was a basic return with dependents, W2's, Interest, dividends, etc. We worked with friends to figure out this new software which was a big help, as
one may know something you don 't. Prior to the assignment, our professor (clovey) give us a link to a Youtube video in which they also explain how to
get on the site and sign up for the software. These videos is a tutorial to help you complete the basic tax returns, but for advance, it tends to be a little
more complicated. As for the tax laws training, I think our Professor's (Clovey/ Mohammad) did an excellent job in giving us an insight of IRS rules we
need to know. We were giving Publication 4012, which is an easy guide to figure out who is qualified or not. We read about qualified dependent 's,
medicaid/medicare, EIC (Earned Income Credit), itemization, standard deduction, Education Credit and much more about these rules and exceptions.
The class was held every other sunday (two time each month), and we would have to read prior to class on new subject so when we go in, the topic that
are being covered won't confuse us. The class are mixed with Seniors and Juniors who have or have not taken a tax course before. For the

Positive Effects Of Raising Minimum Wage
What comes into mind when the thought of minimum wage occur? What do you think about the relationship between the raise of minimum wage and
poverty? Does raising the minimum wage going to reduce poverty among low income family? These questions arise since 2014, if whether the us
government should raise the minimum wage. Nowadays, the american wages has brought a lot of debate. Most authors have different perspective and
approach about the idea of raising minimum wage. Therefore, the authors of article such as "Millennial Thoughts: Minimum wage and my take" by
Will Perkins, "Reducing Poverty via Minimum Wages, Alternatives" by David Neumark and "What will a higher minimum wage do? Two new studies
have different ideas" by Natalie Kitroeff. All of the authors talks about the effects of raising the minimum wage, the negative and the positive. While
most authors agree that minimum wage should be raised, however, they differ when it come to the negatives effects that it will have to the economy.
The raise of the minimum wage will have positive effects and improve the lifestyle of minimum wage workers. Perkins state "If you work full–time in
America, you should be able to live here" Perkins believe that raising minimum wage will make minimum wage workers stable financially. He argue
that most minimum wage companies are making a lot of money from minimum wage workers, he add that minimum wage workers also deserve to have
a stable income to nourish their family and live a

The Problem Of Child Labor Laws Essay
i. In developing countries, such as in India, child are are forced to work, often as the result of a system of debt bondage where their family trades a
small amount of money with an individual and in return, their child is sent away to work, and some of these families will never see their child again.
Many of these children, due to the either the lack of regulation or as a result of a country simply "turning a blind eye to the reality of child labor that
violates child labor laws". As we saw in the video from class about the chocolate child labor farmers, many of these children engage in backbreaking
work, from sunrise to sunset, and as a result lose their childhood, their ability to go to school, their ability to play with other kids, because of the debt
bondage their family agreed to. This is what was experienced by Iqbal Masih. As a four year old boy, his parents sold him into debt bondage for 600
rupees, or less than $6, to an employer who owned a carpet weaving business. Corsaro explains that child labor is especially desired in the carpet
weaving business "because they can squat easily, and their nimble fingers can make the smallest, tightest knots". He woke up before dawn and made his
way, bound in chains, down to the factory for work. He worked at that faculty for 6 years, working 12 hours a day, everyday. At the age of ten, he found
out that bonded labor was illegal, and tried to escape. After escaping, he made a decision to help others like him, and as a result,

Arguments For Raising Minimum Wage
Many people experience working minimum wage jobs. Even I have undergone working the tedious, hard working jobs in which I felt the work and
responsibility did not reflect my pay: $7.25. Me, as a teenager, thought it was hard to manage on the $7.25 minimum wage, but imagine someone who
is working full time and supporting a family on minimum wage––it seems impossible. In The New York Times article, "The Case for a Higher
Minimum Wage," The Editorial Board argues that the federal minimum wage of $7.25 should be raised because it could help those who are in need,
increase the productivity of minimum wage employees, and help the American economy; however, conservatives hinder the process. The Editorial
Board makes a strong case to raise the minimum wage to help many Americans by giving many statistics and facts, and counterarguments, which
makes the argument tenable and plausible. Within the article, many statistics and facts are given to show that the minimum wage needs to be increased
to help many Americans economically. One fact is that approximately 27.8 million people would have a higher wage if the Democratic proposition of
raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 ("The Case for a Higher Minimum Wage"). With this fact given in the article, it shows that a huge
number of people could be impacted positivity if the minimum wage were to increase in the United States. If 27.8 million people receive a high wage, it
could change their whole livelihoods and how they raise

The Income Tax Credit ( Eitc ) Is A Better Policy For...
Yifan Gao
Econ–206
Dr. Schneider
March.24th, 2015
Policy brief 1
Personally, I believe that an increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a better policy for lifting households out of poverty than an increase in
the current minimum wage.
The EITC, Earned Income Tax Credit, is a benefit for working people who have low to moderate income. A tax credit means more money in your
pocket. It reduces the amount of taxes you owe and may also give you a refund ("EITC, Earned Income Tax Credit, Questions and Answers."). In other
words, the purpose of the EITC is to lift households which are low income out of poverty, especially for those families with children. The EITC is a
combination of both reducing income tax and subsidizing salaries. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I will support my opinion through the aspects of increasing households' income, changes in the labor market, and influences of the poverty rate.
Earned Income and adjusted gross income (AGI) must each be less than: Married filing jointly income less than: Maximum credit
Households with no qualifying children $14,820 $20,330 $503
Households with one qualifying children $39,131 $44,651 $3,359
Households with two qualifying children $44,454 $49,974 $5,548
Households with three or more qualifying children $47,747 $53,267 $6,242
Investment income must be $3,400 or less for the year.
Figure 1: 2015 EITC Income Limits, Maximum Credit Amounts and Tax Law Updates
First of all, I want to address the increase in household income by comparing the increase in EITC with the increase in minimum wage. Athreya, Reilly,
and Simpson (2010) divided the EITC into three phases: phase–in, which is the period that the more workers earned, the more credit they receive;
plateau, which is the period that workers can only receive credits up to the maximum and phase–out, which is the period in which workers will stop
receiving the credits. Therefore, the labor supply curve will be viewed as:
Figure 2 Panel A
Figure 2 Panel B
From Figure 2 Panel A, I realized that for the same household, without the EITC, when wages increase, the equilibrium points on the labor–leisure
model will shift to the right. This means that the quantity of leisure

Earned Income Tax Credit
Earned income tax credit: Who can file: EITC Income Limits, Maximum Credit Amounts and Tax Law Updates | | Here are the 2010 tax year income
limits, maximum EITC amount and the EITC–related tax law changes. You can also access the information for: * Preview of 2011 Tax Year * 2009 Tax
Year * 2008 Tax Year * 2007 Tax YearReturn to EITC Home Page2010 Tax YearEarned Income and adjusted gross income (AGI) must each be less
than: * $43,352 ($48,362 married filing jointly) with three or more qualifying children * $40,363 ($45,373 married filing jointly) with two qualifying
children * $35,535 ($40,545 married filing jointly) with one qualifying child * $13,460 ($18,470 married filing jointly) with no qualifying ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Who is a qualifying child?A4. Your child is a qualifying child if your child meets all of the following tests: 1. Relationship 2. Age 3. ResidencyJoint
ReturnRelationshipTo be your qualifying child, a child must be your: * Son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, adopted child or a descendant (for
example, your grandchild) of any of them, or * Brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them (for
example, your niece or nephew).Definitions to clarify the relationship test.Adopted child. An adopted child is always treated as your own child. The
term "adopted child" includes a child who was lawfully placed with you for legal adoption.Eligible Foster Child. A person is your eligible foster child if
the child is placed with you by an authorized placement agency or by judgment, decree, or other order of any court of competent jurisdiction.AgeYour
child must be: 1. Under age 19 at the end of the year and younger than you or your spouse if you file a joint return, 2. A full–time student under age 24
at the end of the year and younger than you or your spouse if you file a joint return, or 3. Permanently and totally disabled at any time during the year,
regardless of age.Residency TestYour child must have lived with you in the United States for more than half of the year.See Publications 596 and 501
for

Paycheck And Times Of Katrina Gilbert
The documentary, Paycheck to Paycheck: The Life and Times of Katrina Gilbert, follows the life of
Katrina Gilbert, a single–mother living in poverty, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It records what life is like for most single mothers in the United States
living paycheck to paycheck. Living paycheck to paycheck means that with each paycheck, the person does not get to save any of the money they have
earned, in Katrina's case, she uses the money to pay for the rent, bills, child care, gasoline, and food. Most people living paycheck to paycheck, don't
earn much but have large expenses. The factors of why Katrina Gilbert is in this situation include economic factors, health factors, and legal factors.
Economic factors, such as her ex– husband losing his job and not being able to pay for child support for a couple of months, her wage not being
enough, and getting her scholarship application denied. There were also health and health care factors that influenced her life such as having Graves'
Disease and other health issues, but not having health insurance to be able to cover the costs and at one point, her panic attacks affected her ability to
work. The legal factors that shaped Katrina's situation included her boyfriend Chris needing to pay child support for his children, causing Katrina to
shoulder most of the costs for their shared house. Katrina's personal choices affect her life to some extent, however, her behavior is something that did
not affect her economic situation.
The

Single Mothers in America Essays
In today's society it is not unusual to have a one–parent family with a young mother in charge. Teen mothers having children has increased so much
over the years that it's now a common occurance. Being a young single mother in today's society is challenging but with the help of government
assistance single mothers are finding their way.
The government provides help for single mothers through a variety of welfare programs. Welfare programs provide benefits to single mothers with low
income – income so low that it is not possible to support a family.
Welfare helps with all childcare needs. They give the young mother food stamps for shopping at the grocery store and earned income tax credit. They
play a big roll in helping these young ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Or girls may even grow up to hate men because of unconscious resentment toward absent fathers.
A study has shown that these young mothers are struggling with their time and availability for their child and their needs. This study has come to
conclude that single mothers usually spend only 3.4 hours with their children. These mothers spend most of their time with work, school, yard work,
and housecleaning.
Leigh Thawley a twenty–three year old mother of a 4 month of child says " I feel like I have so many things to do in such little time and not enough
time to even watch my child grow." Another major thing that affects time with their children is " They feel the need to look good so they spend a lot of
time fixing themselves so they can feel pretty and attract men."(D'Amato) "I try hard to put my child ahead of myself but it is hard to because all I've
ever had to do was worry about myself and I'm still so young that I don't really know how put me last" said Thawley.
In addition to problems of availability, mothers experience financial troubles with their children. In a suburb in Denver young mothers are having not
choice but to move away to be able to get affordable housing. In moving away to get affordable housing these mothers and children are being away
from family and putting more where and tear on their cars which is going to end up costing them in the long run. "In 2000, Boulder County 25% live in
single parent

Earned Tax Credit (EITC) Means To Low-Income Families
A, I have chosen for review Sykes, J., Križ, K., Edin, K., & Halpern–Meekin, S. (2015). "Dignity and Dreams What the Earned Income Tax Credit
(EITC) Means to Low–Income Families." I will be comparing to Eissa, Nada and Jeffrey B. Liebman. 1996's article "Labor Supply Response to the
Earned Income Tax Credit." In the article Sykes, J., Križ, K., Edin, K., & Halpern–Meekin, S. (2015). "Dignity and Dreams What the Earned Income
Tax Credit (EITC) Means to Low–Income Families." explore what meanings these low–income workers ascribed to this money and how these
meanings may have shaped their allocations and also focus to study psychological effect and expectation of Earned Income Tax credit (EITC). In the
article "Labor Supply Response to the Earned Income Tax Credit," Eissa, Nada and Jeffrey B. Liebman (1996). It compares the impact of TRA86 the
change in labor supply of single women with children to the change for single women without children. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(2015). "Dignity and Dreams What the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Means to Low–Income Families." they use interview method to analysis their
research. They are interview 115 EITC recipients from different race and ethnicity; for instance, white, black, and Hispanic, filing status (married and
single) who received EITC refund at least $1,000 and examine how recipient attitude about the EITC and also how they spend it. In "Labor Supply
Response to the Earned Income Tax Credit," Eissa, Nada and Jeffrey B. Liebman (1996). They use the population survey of annual demographic file of
approximately 57,000 house hold from 1985–1989 to 1989– 1991. The sample includes unmarried females such as widowed, divorced and never
married which are between 16 and 44 years old. This data did not include any females who separated from her spouse or who was ill during the
reference

The And Effect Of The Earned Income Tax Credit
Introduction
This report examines the provisions, purpose, and impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). It will consider both positive and negative
arguments for the program, and review suggested alternatives. Finally, it will give supporting evidence as to why the EITC is a flawed, yet overall
beneficial program for the nation's war against poverty. As one of the most heavily debated tax issues since the 90s, the EITC is an important anti–
poverty program that requires attention and understanding by all American citizens.
In order to gauge the effectiveness of the EITC, it is important to understand what the EITC is, as well as its purpose, and then measure current
performance.
Provisions
The EITC is a tax credit for low to moderate income earning individuals and families. This credit is a refundable tax credit, meaning that citizens may
have their federal taxes lowered, brought to zero, or even earn a refund if it exceeds the amount of taxes owed. The credit amount is dependent upon a
beneficiary's earned income and number of children. Earned income includes all the taxable income and wages a person receives from working for
someone else or if they own or run a business or farm. In order to receive the tax refund, workers must file a tax return, even if their income is less than
the filing requirement. The EITC is structured with a phase–in, meaning that as a taxpayer's income increases, the value of the credit the taxpayer earns
increases until it hits the maximum

David K. Shipler 's A Sociological Study
Sociologists observe the world to find a problem or an interesting pattern, then begin to study their findings. They use research methods to design a
study, such as a detailed, scientific method for piloting research and obtaining data, or study an outline. The research method is the main step in a
sociological study. The author David K. Shipler had an urge to reveal a hidden part of society, which was America's working poor in 1977. Shipler's
goal was to let the hidden and forgotten part of society is known; which were employed workers that are still struggling to survive. He had confidence
in letting people know about the large portion of American society is poor or struggling. Shipler devoted six years of his life to create particular stories
about different people and situations throughout his book. Shipler use of research method was processed by interviewing eight different families about
their inner lives. This method gave his readers visual of the invisible part of America society by taking his readers on a journey into the world of the
working poor by presenting their struggles. He provides the reader with understanding of workplaces, homes, personal thoughts and feelings of the
working poor. In each chapter, combines shared experiences and interviews, from different parts of the working poor such as legal and illegal
immigrants working in America. Shipler also describes the lack of housing, wages, and health care they receive. Chapters in this book were stories

Earned Income Tax Credit Evaluation Essay
Earned Income Tax Credit Evaluation Meyer (2010) states that since the birth of the EITC in 1975 it has grown dramatically in size and is now the
largest antipoverty program for the non–aged in the United States. Meyer (2010) continues that "in 2007, 25 million families received EITC payments
totaling $49.7 billion." Meyer (2010) avers that "as a result, the EITC lifted at least 4.0 million individuals above the poverty line." Meyer (2010)
further continues to explain that "in addition to directly raising incomes, the EITC has sharply changed work incentives, currently increasing the after‐
tax wage by up to 45% for those with low earnings."
The EITC overall is part of the tax system and does not necessitate individuals to have a tax liability that the credit offsets. Meyer (2010) maintains that
"a person without a net tax liability receives it as a payment that, by 2009, could be as large as $5,657." The objective of the EITC has been to move
earnings while stimulating employment. This characteristic paved the way for political support for its early acceptance and for its following
development. The agenda has undertaken more distinction in recent years as policy makers have sought to decrease the reliance that they assert has
been promoted by welfare programs.
It's well known that elevated and unrelenting poverty is excessively found in rural areas, with isolated rural areas experiencing the utmost poverty.
Mammen and Lawrence (2006) state that time limits enforced by

How Does Maltreatment Reduce Child Abuse
SOWK 562 Research Portfolio Segment II
Restructured Research Question:
Does the policy for low–income working families known as Earned Income Tax Credit reduce child maltreatment rates of abuse and neglect more
effectively than the Nurse–Family Partnership Policy?
Narrative Identification of Variables
Definition of maltreatment According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the failure to provide for a child's basic physical, emotional, and
educational needs or to protect a child (ages 0–12) from harm or potential harm is defined as maltreatment (2015). Any words or action by a caregiver
or parent that causes harm, potential harm, or threatens harm whether deliberate or intentional against a child takes the definition a step further (2015).
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The tool is a self–administered screening instrument with 160 questions that requires either agree or disagree response. The screening tool is written for
third– grade comprehension level. The tool can be used with the abuser or the child. Content validity was established through a literature review by a
psychiatrist and other knowledgeable professionals. Construct validity has been established through numerous correlational studies. The screening
device applied a concurrent predictive and future predictive validity with a near or above 90 percent level (Milner, J. S., Gold, R. G., Ayoub, C., &
Jacewitz, M. M. (1986). The internal validity of the study accurately depicted future prediction of child abuse based on accuracy during different
interval. After testing, the parent participated in an intervention group until they either left the group or until they were charged with child maltreatment.
The average time frame was 6.5

Essay about Homeless Children In America
Homeless Children in America
To be homeless is to not have a home or a permanent place of residence. Nationwide, there is estimated to be 3.5 million people that are homeless, and
roughly 1.35 million of them are children. It is shown that homeless rates, which are the number of sheltered beds in a city divided by the cities
population, have tripled since the 1980's (National Coalition for Homeless, 2014). Worldwide, it is estimated that 100 million children live and work on
the streets. Homeless children are more at risk than anyone else, and are among the fastest growing age groups of homelessness. Single women with
children represent the fastest growing group of homeless, accounting for about 40% of the people that are becoming ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Acute disorders, such as lice infestations, to major health risks such as nutritional deficiencies and upper respiratory infections are five to ten times
more likely to develop while being a homeless child. When it comes to homeless youth, an amazing 14% of girls aged 13 to 15 were pregnant since
being homeless (Kryder–Coe, 1991). Sexually transmitted diseases are also seven to eight times more likely to be contracted by homeless youth than
normal youths. Alcohol and substance abuse, as well as severe psychotic disorders, are somewhat common in homeless children, but almost nonexistent
among normal children. Child Welfare Services (CWS) major focus is on the safety and well being of a homeless child. Their goal is to help courts
expedite permanent placement for children through programs such as the Court Improvement Program and the Foster Care Review Board Program.
They also deal with cases involving abused and neglected children, and have the authority to take children away from their parents if either of these two
are proven. For many children, the lack of adequate housing is a major factor in their entry into the public child welfare system. Social work has a
strong relationship with this problem of homeless children and the Child Welfare Services. CWS directly deals with homeless children, helping them
stay in their own safe home if it is determined to be so, or

Problems Associated With Due Diligence
Due diligence happens by not understanding the law or by taking what the client says at "face value." Other times, it is straight out fraud! As a tax
preparer, I need to give due diligence more diligence. Doing this, will protect my clients, build their trust, and possibly receive more referrals. Equally
important, it will protect me from getting in trouble with the law (IRS). Penalties can be avoided by following due diligence. Plus, it is the ethical thing
to do. With that being said, the due diligence issues presented in this scenario and the steps to comply with due diligence are as follows:
The first thing came to mind was to verify Charlie's age and filing status. For his age, I would ask to see his social security card and driver's ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
If so, then information such as legal documents regarding the separation would be needed. This is because he might fall under a different filing status
and may also meet the requirements as head of household. Also, things such as alimony paid or received and child support could be a factor in
preparing his income tax. Plus, this could help in determining who can claim the children as an exemption and receive the child tax credit and earned
income tax credit.
In addition to the inquiries above, I would need to help him figure out if the children meet the requirements as a qualifying child. The test includes
verification of the children's age, residency, and relationship. In some cases, where the child is older, the joint return test would be required too, but the
latter does not seem to apply in this scenario. However, for clarification of the children's age and to comply with due diligence, I would ask for their
social security cards. Furthermore, to ensure his confidence in me, I would help him understand that these are the IRS requirements and that I am here
to assist him in properly filing his taxes.
Now, as we determine if the relationship and residency tests are met, I must (1) explain to him what relationships are acceptable as a qualifying child,
which are most relatives except cousins, and (2) verify that he provided his residency for the children for over half of the year. This can be substantiated
by him providing (1) receipts of

The Importance Of The Federal Minimum Wage
Across the United States, economists have debated the fruits of the minimum wage. Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced The Federal Minimum Wage Act
in 1938, was the first federal minimum wage set in the United States. In the United States, the minimum wage has increased from its original twenty–
five cents to its current seven dollars and twenty–five cents. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have taken divisive stances on the federal minimum
wage. For example, Trump wants the states to set their own minimum wage while Sanders calls for a living wage. This difference in opinion between
two relevant politicians is a clear indicator of the importance of the current federal minimum wage to the American people. Is the federal minimum
wage effective in lifting Americans out of poverty? No, by itself the minimum wage is unable to make huge steps to get Americans out of poverty.
Why America Has a Federal Minimum Wage Before we can answer the question "Why can't the minimum wage get Americans out of poverty?" we
have to examine why the federal minimum wage was put into place. Congress is the branch of government which determines the federal minimum
wage. Initially, the federal minimum wage was to create a 'living wage' and was part of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). A 'living wage' is vague,
but the overall definition that authors can agree on is that a family must be able to afford to support themselves at the poverty line (Schmitt, Croes). The
FLSA focused on establishing the bar

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
The Earned income tax credit can be defined as a way for workers who have a moderate annual income rate to receive a reduction in federal income as
well as their payroll taxes. The credit was established with specifically low–income status workers as the main target, and this was due to the fact that
the EITC is a refundable credit. Since its establishment in the year of 1975 the EITC has been modified about several times, it was originally set up
with a goal to combine an incentive for having employment as a low–income workers who had children, with the anti–poverty effects of having
negative income taxes. It was deemed the best pro family and anti–poverty measure that was produced from the acts of congress, and is a key part of
the economic

The Benefits Of Raising The Minimum Wage
Raising the minimum wage helps both the employees and employers. Boosting the economic growth in America. Minimum wage helps ensure a fair
wage for the low paid workers. There have been debates on this economical topic for years, whether if it should or shouldn't be raised. In the United
States, the Minimum wage should be raised. By doing so it brings good benefits and keeps the economy stable.
Raising minimum wage helps improve the public health in the United States. The public health effect is often left out whenever there is a discussion on
raising the minimum wage. The public health impacts greatly on low–income Americans by raising the minimum wage. By improving the health of
many Americans, medical care cost would also change. Zhou Chen and David Meltzer conducted a research if both the obesity rates and minimum
wage are connected in a way. By using the data from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System also known as BRFSS, Chen and Meltzer were able
to find a connection between the two. "BRFSS interviews more than 350,000 adults each year, making it the largest health survey in the world."
Through the PSID DaeHwan and J. Paul Leigh found that low wage does increase obesity and body mass by a statistical test. "Panel Study of Income
Dynamics (PSID) is a long–term survey of a set of households in the United States." Around $190 billion dollars are spent on obesity each year in
medical bills. If the minimum wage raised, there would be a ten percent decrease in

The Current Widening Income Inequality
The current widening income inequality is due to the substantial income disparity between the top and bottom workers in the U.S. economy. General
decline in wage endangered the standard of living for low income family as they struggle with a tightened budget. In order to battle income inequality,
policy makers must raise the income of the working poor by expanding tax credit program and increase its effectiveness through major modification.
Currently, there is widening inequality in the United States due to the savage income gap between those at the top of the income distribution and those
at the bottom. According to the Congressional Budget office 2012 report, from 1979 to 2012 the top five percent of U.S. households had a real income
increase of 74.9%, where over the same period the bottom 20 percent had a real income decrease of 12.1%.1 Conversely, according to the Economics
Policy Institute 2014 "Rising America's Pay" report by Josh Bivens et al, over the same time span the productivity of a typical American worker had
doubled.2 In other words, despite the increase in productivity the bottom working class continues to live under income reduction. The situation is even
more devastating for worker who have exceeded the stingy federal poverty limit and deemed ineligible for social assistance or only partially subsidized
from income tax credit. My proposal is to raise the income of the working poor through tax credit subsidy. The end goal of my proposal is to enhance
the

Effects Of The Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit On The...
Michigan EITC 1
The Effects of the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit on The Economy and Working Families
Shereca Gordon
Social Welfare and Social Justice
Professor: Linda Werthman, R.S.M., PH.D., LMSW
December 1, 2014
Michigan EITC 2
Abstract
The state of Michigan's Earned Income Tax Credit is a good anti–poverty mechanism for low and moderate income working families. The Michigan
credit was an effective technique for achieving a reduction of the poverty rate in 2011. The Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit targets a certain
income level of working families. In 2011 the state Earned Income Tax Credit reached over 700,000 households. Governor Rick Snyder does not
support its state credit geared toward low income families irrespective of the amount of families that were elevated out of poverty. The tax credit
advocates for children and child education, can stimulate the economy by way of the multiplier effect, and lead families to self–sufficiency. Michigan
EITC 3
The Effects of the Michigan Earned Income on
The Economy and working Families The Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit (MEITC) is a refundable credit that targets low–income working
families. There are many other states with the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) some with a refundable credit some with a non–refundable credit. The
state credit follows the same criteria as the federal EITC. The MEITC is a credit against the states income tax that attempts to create tax equity among
the wealthy and poor citizens of

The Concentration Of Poverty And Poverty
Some problems associated with living in a neighborhood with a high percentage of the population living in poverty include increased crime rates, poor
education, health problems and psychological distress. The concentration of people in high poverty neighborhoods magnifies the problems faced by the
poor. This is because it leads to the concentration of the ills associated with poverty. Children in these neighborhood do not only lack basic needs but
are also exposed to an hostile environment that holds numerous temptations and does not provide positive motivation (McConville & Ong, 2003). In
addition, because schools are distributed geographically, children from high poverty neighborhoods attend the same schools and this result in low
performance. This concentration also intensify the shift of the middle and higher income families away from these neighborhoods thus creating a gap
between social needs and the financial base necessary to address these issues. The concentration of poverty is important because it has an impact on the
distribution of income which might undermines the social fabric and may restrict opportunities for others (Jargowsky, 2003).
There are arguments that individuals may benefit from living in poor neighborhoods. This is because they are able to share coping strategies as well as
well as benefit from geographically based networks that provide support to people living in poor neighborhoods. The coping strategies employed
include reducing expenses,

Earned Tax Credit Policy Analysis
For a start, as my policy analysis term paper, I subjectively selected the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), based on my personal experience with the
policy and from curiosity as how the mechanisms of the policy truly operate. With that being said, "the United States federal Earned Income Tax Credit
or Earned Income Credit (EITC or EIC) is a refundable tax credit for low to moderate income individuals and couples – particularly those with
children" (IRS, 2013). In this paper, I will first introduce the Earned Income Tax Credit policy followed by the description of the problems/social
inequalities that necessitated the policy. Next, I will then describe the policy in great detail, list the policies objectives/outcomes, and discuss any
complications ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
By the same token, it did not only promote employment just for women, it equally encouraged males to work so they can quality for the benefits too.
Kartik (2011), found "The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is designed to augment income while encouraging work: The tax credit increases with
earnings for low levels of household income, but declines and ultimately is phased out as incomes rise" (pg. 1). There are three levels of ranges that
apply to the Earned Income Tax Credit: the phase–in–range; the plateau range; and the phase–out–rage that will be further explained in the policy
description

Personal Position Analysis : Natural Disasters
Steven White
Professor Engelhardt
Eng 104
25 October 2014
Personal Position Analysis
When natural disasters happen many people have their homes, lives, and loved ones strippen away in a blink of an eye. One would feel sorry for them
and send cards and small donations and try to raise awareness. But what happens when their lives are not taken away in the blink of an eye, what
happens if it takes a couple years of suffering and struggling? If something is plaguing a group of people for a prolonged period of time can't we do
something to stop the suffering and struggle? Our government should be able to make its citizens lives easier and should help make hard times pass
faster even when it involves small crisis's. This isn't always the case though.
For example, there is a small town in Porterville that has been struggling with a severe drought that is occurring in California, with little to no help. The
people who live in Porterville and call it home are now facing the reality that they might be forced to leave what little they have. "Most homes here
depend on shallow, private wells, and one by one, they are going dry. That means the only drinking water comes in donated bottles. For everything else,
the county is delivering and filling storage tanks for household use"(CBS). Why is it though that the most amount of help that these people whom are
struggling comes from just the county and private donations? The federal government has yet to even take any steps to helping

Earned Income Tax Case Study
For many years low–income families have been stigmatized due programs destined to provide welfare. Most of the families that are in need of
economic support undergo a scrutinized agenda, which most of the time, question by question undresses recipients by stripping their dignity. In my
childhood we used something similar to food stamps. We were a family of 12 members, parents and 10 children. I remembered my mother crying full
of anger and frustration when the government sent a letter saying: "Your case is under revision." Even if "revision" looked like a positive reason (it
could mean an increase of benefits), this meant checks would be delayed at least for two months... Two studies are present in this project. Temporary
Assistance for Needy ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The rate of participants is high compared with other income support programs. Federal and State governments are trying to encourage feedback from
recipient programs and involvement of qualified participants. According to Beecroft (2012), the Virginia's IRS has initiated a campaign to improve
outreach to individuals who can benefit from those services. Same program has been implemented to reach families located in New York and
California. The Virginia government contracted a private agency to prepare mailing notices and perform phone calls to instruct qualified candidates to
use EITC benefits. "This study makes two main contributions to existing research by providing: rigorous evidence on the impacts of low–cost outreach
for the EITC, including a simple cost–benefit analysis; and more recent estimates of EITC take–up rates for recipients of public assistance, based on
accurate data sources. This study also uses large sample sizes even though they are only for Virginia (a starting population of close to 500,000
households, including 225,000 EITC– eligible households) (Beecroft

The Pros And Cons Of Welfare Reform
Sometimes life hits you hard, one day you are living paycheck to paycheck, the next day you lose your job and you wonder how you are going to live at
all. So you gather your pride and stand in line to ask for assistance. For some, this process is humiliating, for others it is a way of life. Welfare was
developed to help Americans suffering through the Depression. At some point it went from providing assistance to becoming a crutch to those who did
not want to work. The government decided I was time to put an end to the abuse of the welfare and the Republicans pushed for reform of the system. In
many ways the reform did more harm than good and there is a fine line between reform and the edge of poverty. With that being said, many Americans
still ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Act is described as "a comprehensive bipartisan welfare reform plan that will dramatically change the nation's welfare system into one that requires
work in exchange for time–limited assistance. The law contains strong work requirements, a performance bonus to reward states for moving welfare
recipients into jobs, state maintenance of effort requirements, comprehensive child support enforcement, and supports for families moving from welfare
to work –– including increased funding for child care and guaranteed medical coverage." The purpose of this reform was to move people from welfare
to work and to make it easier for them to do so by providing child care assistance, as well as, increasing child support collections from absentee parents.
By increasing child support collections the costs of welfare would be reduced. One measure included a requirement of employers to report all new hires
creating a National Directory of New Hires along with a Federal Case Registry that would allow child support registries to track parents that lived in
different states from their children. Recipients of welfare now have a 60–month or five year accumulative limit to receive cash benefits, meaning if you
go on welfare for say, 2 years then work for a year, you will still have 3 years left to receive welfare. However, once those five years have been used up
you will only be eligible to receive other services like food stamps, WIC, and medical

Poverty Assignment
Answering question number #3 and #4 in the assignment
#3 Below what income would her family be eligible to receive Medicaid, Child Health Plus (SCHIP), Food Stamps, and subsidized child care? This can
be summarized briefly.
–Medicaid
For families of three, maximum net income to qualify for Medicaid is $1285
Alternatives:
Family Health Plus (a public health insurance program for adults who are aged 19 to 64 who have income too high to qualify for Medicaid. Family
Health Plus is available to single adults, couples without children, and parents who are residents of New York State and are United States citizens or fall
under one of many immigration categories) Maximum Gross Annual Income Guide Effective January 1, 2010 | Family Size ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
(http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal?
_nfpb=true&locateFederalFlow_1_actionOverride=%2FLocateFederalFlow%2Freport&_windowLabel=locateFederalFlow_1&locateFede
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
National School Lunch Program
#4 If she experiences food, housing, or medical emergencies, what are some other resources available to her family in the local community? This can
also be summarized briefly.
About FD Food Disaster Assistance
Ensuring that people have access to food is perhaps one of the most immediate concerns following a disaster, such as a storm, earthquake, civil
disturbance, or a flood. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for effectively managing the federal response and
recovery efforts following any national incident, coordinating relief efforts, and making assistance available to States, communities, businesses and
individuals.
Through its Food and Nutrition Service, USDA assists in three ways: * Provides commodity foods for shelters and other mass feeding sites. *
Distributes commodity food packages directly to households in need. * Issues emergency SNAP benefits.

The Earned Income Tax Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal program that provides low to moderate–income workers, including many who are poor, with extra
income through tax refunds. It also encourages low–income parents to go to work by lowering their tax rate and providing a financial bonus for their
work effort. Congress originally approved the tax credit in 1975 partly to help offset the burden of social security taxes for families and to provide an
incentive to work. When the credit exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for it. It's been especially
effective in encouraging single parents, mainly single mothers, to obtain employment. In 2003 alone, this tax credit provided 22 million American
families and their children, with $34 billion in cash assistance (Francis 2014). The credit has been expanded several times since its creation, and more
than half of the U.S. states and the District of Columbia now have their own supplemental EITCs.
There are four main qualifications needed to receive the credit. First, an individual must have a valid Social Security number. Second, an individual
must earn income either from working for someone else or from owning or operating a business. Third, an individual must be a U.S. citizen or resident
or the spouse of a U.S. citizen or resident for the entire tax year. Finally, earned income and adjusted gross income must both be below income limits
that vary by the number of children in a

Changing Medicare And Social Security
Changing Medicare and Social Security to means–tested benefits Policy Analysis Notably, the elderly populace is growing rapidly, and will reach 3.4
million or 12.8% of the population. Eventually, in the next thirty years older adults will comprise of 20% of the total population due to the aging of 76
million baby boomers (Olson, 2001). Seeing that, entitlement programs and means–tested benefits, are presented, in order to bolster this increment of
older adults. Accordingly, around 96% of the American workforce is secured by Social Security and it is likewise estimated that 58 million American
will receive a total of $816 billion in Social Security benefits (Moody and Sasser, 2015). In fact, today 56 million or 17% of the population is enlisted
in Medicare (Leonard, 2015). Therefore, this has presented an open deliberation about the eventual fate of Medicare and Social Security and regardless
of whether changing Medicare and Social Security to means–tested benefits, instead of entitlement programs can resolve the policy issues.
Discussion
At present, entitlement programs, which is, "a federal program that guarantees a certain level of benefits to persons or other entities who meet
requirements set by law" (Entitlement Program, 2015) incorporates programs, for example, Medicare and Social Security. However, because of
expanding insecurity of these programs the likelihood of changing Medicare and Social Security to means–tested benefits is being considered for a
policy

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a program that was...
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a program that was set in place, in 1975, to improve "the economic status of low–income persons [...] granting
nearly $40 billion to low–income households" (Borjas, 59). As is clear from the name of the program, The EITC is a program that provides tax credits
to those who qualify, the EITC could even produce a negative tax liability for some households, in particular the type I will discuss, which would
provide substantial income increases for these households. In order to qualify for the EITC, the recipients must be active members of the labor force, in
that they must have labor income, and for the group that I will be focusing on, single mothers, total household income must be below $33,241 for single
I will look at the performance of the Earned Income Tax Credit, in terms of its ability to increase the labor supply of single–mothers, as well as any
complications that may arise from the EITC program. (Athreya, 2012) The benefits of the Earned Income Tax Credit for single–mothers have been
outlined by numerous studies written by renowned Economists, such as Bruce D. Meyer and Dan T. Rosenbaum of the University of Chicago and the
University of North Carolina at Greensburg respectively. The article by Meyer and Rosenbaum, Welfare, The Earned Income Tax Credit, and The Labor
Supply of Single Mothers, contains the data and statistics that I will use as the basis of my analysis and where I will draw the bulk of my conclusions on
the benefits and drawbacks of the Earned Income Tax Credit on the labor supply of single–mothers. Meyer's and Rosenbaum's research is extremely
significant to the particular topic that I am outlining as it uses data collected from a well–known survey and furthermore, looks specifically at the
groups that are of particular interest of my research.
Meyer and Rosenbaum collected their data from the Current Population Surveys (CPS) from 1984 to 1996. Once the data was collected the relevant
data was extracted, namely the data corresponding to single–women ages 19 to

Examples Of Individualism In Poor Mothers
Individualism manifests even more pronouncedly in poor mothers. The ideology of individualism in relation to social policies does not believe that
there are economic factors that can constrain poor working mothers and prevent them from improving their livelihoods. Hays (2003) explains that
individualism finds that a person's economic status is a reflection of his work ethic. She believes that America's national and cultural myths of self–
sufficiency and self–reliance dull peoples' insensitivity to social factors that influence individual life chances. Lawmakers in the country do not make
social policies to cater for poor mothers because they overlook the complexities of life that led to their state of poverty. According to individualism, for
these poor mothers to prove their work ethic, they need to work and not just rely on handouts. It is clearly elaborated in the 1996 punitive Temporary
Aid to Needy Families (TANF) program. The initiative provides poor and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is for this reason that parents are left to cater for the cost of raising their children. Unfortunately, the most affected people are the middle class and
poor mothers who are forced to work extra hard to provide for their children. However, because of the lack of social policies, these women end up
missing on raising of their children as they are too busy working for long hours at work. When they decide to quit their jobs, they are subjected to
mommy taxes and are unable to take care of their children. Without effective social policies that protect children and their parents, the economic future
of the U.S. is jeopardized as children make up the most significant potential human capital of the nation. The U.S. can avoid such consequences by
adopting the European countries social policies on women and childcare such as paid maternity leaves for mothers and pre and post school care for the

Comparison Of The Article 'Dignity And Dreams'
Introduction The question of concern in the article, Dignity and Dreams (Sykes, 2015), was whether the Earned Income Tax Credit [EITC] provided
families with enough support to progress financially just over the poverty line. While This was an important focus there was a The emphasis on how the
family respectfully and discreetly received the money was also an active factor. Likewise, in the second article, Bonus or Rebate? (Epley, 2006), there
was a concern about a consumer's reluctant choice to spend a check depending on its label. They specifically tracked spending patterns of consumers
receiving either a Rebate (a loss) check or a bonus (a gain) check and documented whether they spent a larger portion of the check or saved more of it.
Or would the recipients spend a surplus of money if thought to be a bonus check? Sykes (2015) had found that families felt a relief from financial stress
when it came to receiving their yearly lump sum from the government. They were able to pay back many of their debts, just as a responsible family
should. This allowed them to enhance the amount of consumption they were given leeway for. Such as toys or brand name foods. For families in
Welfare who were given limited room to grow, EITC left enough money to lift dreams off the ground and making it possible for families to invest in
their futures. All of these factors made it easier for the families to feel a sense of citizenship. Social inclusion plays a larger factor than once thought.
Using government programs like SNAP (food stamps) ostracized people in public areas; making it difficult to feel proud or in a sense "normal". I
strongly believe that this article found what they set out to look for. The results clearly show that EITC gave low wage families a sense of dignity, but
since the population interviewed and tracked was so small it's difficult to believe that all families in the same program live entirely the same. The
lurking variables consisted of past programs impeding on the behavior of present recipients in the EITC program. These past programs have altered the
way of thinking for some people. The

The Same Rights As American Citizens
2. The same rights as American citizens. It is unfair to arrest millions of undocumented immigrants.
Conservatives only support legal immigration and oppose amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally (illegal immigrants). Those who break the law
by entering the U.S. illegally do not have the same rights as those who obey the law and enter legally. The borders should be secured before addressing
the problem of the illegal immigrants currently in our country. The Federal Government should enforce current immigration law to ensure not only our
safety, but the illegal activity taking place in our country today. There are other good alternatives to welfare. Private charities can successfully serve the
poor. Arnold Kling quotes, "Those organizations that work directly with poor people stand a better chance of learning how to meet their needs" (Bily,
2009, p 71). He believes charitable organizations are more flexible, accountable, and efficient. The poor would be better served by a new tax policy
directing more money to private charities and less to the federal and state government. The role of charitable organizations is better than the
government as a source of aid. It is easier for donors or volunteers to hold charitable organizations accountable than it is for taxpayers to hold
government accountable. Failed government programs can go on forever, but an unsuccessful charity has a more difficult time obtaining adequate
funding. In 2005,

Self Employment Income On Your Annual Income Tax
It can be to your advantage to claim your Self–Employment income on your annual Income Tax Return than popularly believed. Claiming an Earned
income may be favorable to you and your family. If your only job is your personal business, claiming the income on your tax return can compensate
your family now plus in the future. Filing properly can even assist someone else by creating a paper trail for their claimed deduction. Your future
retirement or even Social Security disability benefits are influenced by the amount of money you earn, also.
To be eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, you must show you have taxable Earned Income. This is on occasion incorrectly called
"Unearned Income Credit." People have viewed this as government money given to families with children – false. There are two ways to obtain taxable
Earned Income: you work for someone who pays you or you own or run a business or farm. Taxable Earned Income includes wages, salaries, or tips,
long–term disability benefits prior to retirement age, and net earnings from Self–Employment. If you collect unemployment benefits or child support,
this is not considered taxable Earned Income; neither are retirement benefits, social security, nor alimony (IRS, 2014).
In order to be eligible for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) you must either meet the rules for workers without a qualifying child or have a child that
meets all the qualifying child rules for you. The tax credit can be seen as a bell curve.

Economics Essay : Minimum Wage
Economics Essay: Minimum Wage
Mark Mulhern
It is most advantageous for the United States' to not raise the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour. Multiple studies have shown that
increasing the minimum wage is inefficient at raising the poverty level. Also, a trade off of having higher paid, stable jobs as a result of raising the
minimum wage is less jobs available, or unemployment. Most people expect it to raise the wages of poverty–stricken families. However, the income
distribution effects of changing the minimum wage crucially relies on who is earning the minimum wage (Leigh 432). If there is a relatively large
number of teenagers earning the minimum from middle–upper class families, then a rise in minimum wage will have less influence on the poor (Leigh
432). To solve this problem, the United States should work on expanding earned income tax credit, a government issued subsidy that goes to millions of
low–income workers that is proven to increase employment and reduce poverty. With this, the United States can efficiently shrink the income gap of
Americans and raise the standard of living of poor families.
The minimum wage is the least amount an employer must pay his/her employee for working. (Mankiw). Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act
in 1938, ensuring that workers have an adequate standard of living by adding a minimum wage (Mankiw). Today, the national minimum wage is $7.25
per hour. Looking at changes in poverty, 15% of Americans were living

Minimum Wage and Poverty
Poverty is a significant topic that is being investigated, talked about and most importantly lived in by millions in America. Many American citizens,
specifically the children are not only living in poverty, but they are living below the poverty line due to low minimum wage (Gidfar). A child living in
poverty can face serious problems in the future. Reducing poverty should not be charity work. As citizens of the world it should be a social
responsibility to find a way in which poverty can no longer be a living status, especially for a developed country like America. It is one of the top
countries before Mexico with the highest rate of child poverty (Gidfar). In context, minimum wage has a large impact on poverty within a country, as
the higher the minimum wage the more disposable income families have access to. The discussion of how the "elasticity of demand of unskilled
workers" determines whether or not the minimum wage should be raised to reduce child poverty is essential when validating the relationship between
the two variables (Rutkowski 7). While the analysis of William Even and David Macpherson's study emphasizes the importance of taking employment
in to account as a variable as an indication to prevent 'job loss' (2), through the clarification that although the United States view child poverty as being
an "intractable problem"(WaldFogel 3), there is evidence to support that a raise in the disposable income of families can lead to reduction in child
poverty (Dahl and

Reflective Essay On Poverty

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Jennifer Baker

More from Jennifer Baker (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Reflective Essay On Poverty