Pennsylvania to impose asset test for food stamps

[chanel]

Pennsylvania plans to make the amount of food stamps that people receive contingent on the assets they possess - an unexpected move that bucks national trends and places the commonwealth among a minority of states.

Specifically, the Department of Public Welfare said that as of May 1, people under 60 with more than $2,000 in savings and other assets would no longer be eligible for food stamps. For people over 60, the limit would be $3,250.

Houses and retirement benefits would be exempt from being counted as assets. If a person owns a car, that vehicle also would also be exempt, but any additional vehicle worth more than $4,650 would be considered a countable asset.

Pennsylvania would become one of only 11 states with the low-threshold $2,000 asset test - along with Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming, USDA figures show. The $2,000 figure was set in 1980 and has never been changed, USDA figures show.

Pennsylvania to impose asset test for food stamps | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/10/2012

Good idea?

 

[old navy]

I like it. Also count more than one 60 inch big screen as an asset. Count getting hair and nails did more than once a month an asset. Not only should more than one car be an asset, but if your one car is an Escalade, it's an asset. Another thing. If one qualifies for food stamps and can still eat out more than two or three times a week and most people that do not qualify for food stamps can only eat out once a month, count the eating out experience as an asset.

There are more but I only got three hours sleep last night after Bama's beat down on LSU and I have a job.

 

[editec]

Pennsylvania plans to make the amount of food stamps that people receive contingent on the assets they possess - an unexpected move that bucks national trends and places the commonwealth among a minority of states.

Specifically, the Department of Public Welfare said that as of May 1, people under 60 with more than $2,000 in savings and other assets would no longer be eligible for food stamps. For people over 60, the limit would be $3,250.

Houses and retirement benefits would be exempt from being counted as assets. If a person owns a car, that vehicle also would also be exempt, but any additional vehicle worth more than $4,650 would be considered a countable asset.

Pennsylvania would become one of only 11 states with the low-threshold $2,000 asset test - along with Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming, USDA figures show. The $2,000 figure was set in 1980 and has never been changed, USDA figures show.

Pennsylvania to impose asset test for food stamps | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/10/2012

Good idea?

It might be, but I think the thresholds are too low..

I did know one person (who had no income) on food stamps, but who, (though an unexpected windfall) had a lot of money in the bank.

Now, that's not right.