The federal government recently released the 2011 Federal Poverty Income Guidelines, better known as the “federal poverty level.” Wisconsin uses the guidelines to determine eligibility for a number of public assistance programs, such as BadgerCare Plus and child care subsidies (Wisconsin Shares). See the new guidelines on the WCCF website: Tables for Annual, Monthly and Hourly Earnings at Various Percentages of the Poverty Level.

The new guidelines are 0.6 percent higher than the ones used in 2010, which were the same as the guidelines for 2009.

WCCF has posted updated tables, which we prepare each year, showing the federal poverty level for different sized families and translating the annual poverty level figures into monthly and hourly amounts.

Jon Peacock