Living on the Edge in Brooklyn, New York
Sol and Marilyn Weltman never thought of themselves as poor. And statistically speaking, they are not. But that doesn’t mean that things aren’t tight, as they are for all those aging Americans who, while not technically below the poverty line, live lives in which income never quite keeps up with costs.
Call them the “new poor.”
“All your life you’ve lived in the middle class, and suddenly you find you’re in the poor class,” Marilyn says.
In November, the US Census Bureau unveiled an additional way to measure poverty in America. The “supplemental poverty measure” attempts to address shortcomings in the way poverty has been calculated since 1965. Its goals include reflecting the effects of government policies, adjusting for increased standards of living over the years, and taking into account medical costs across different population segments.
Read the rest of the story in The Brooklyn Ink, written by Emily Judem, with additional reporting by Olivia B. Waxman
and Poor? Not Me, Say Low-Income Elderly in Red Hook and Sheepshead Bay written by Olivia B. Waxman
More Articles
- Facing Financial Ruin as Costs Soar for Elder Care
- The US Economy: Small Business Pulse Survey Updates by the US Census
- Supreme Court Surprises The Public in LGBTQ Ruling: What is Sex Discrimination?
- "Fed Listens", How Does Monetary Policy Affect Your Community? "Our goal is to keep inflation around 2 percent over time"
- GAO: A Comprehensive Re-evaluation Needed to Better Promote Future Retirement Security
- Another Turbulent Day on the Market: Three Reasons to Do Nothing
- Listen to What the Concerned Scientists Union States: Hurricane Michael Threatened Gulf Coast Homes and Military Bases: Update: Thomson Reuters Foundation Film: Home Beyond the Water
- Gender News: City of New York Agrees to Pay $20.8 Million to Settle Federal Discrimination Charges Made by Registered Nurses
- Stateline: Why Most States Are Struggling to Regulate Airbnb
- Women at Work: 'Pre-Apprenticeships' Boost Female Construction Workers; More Women Might Soon Be Able To Take Advantage of Similar Programs