On top of that the Census Bureau reported a 1.2 percentage point drop in the official poverty rate to 13.5% in 2015. And the poverty rate, clearly, is much higher. The problem is that it’s the official poverty rate that matters when policy is being set, and when people are applying for benefits. Even then, someone who is earning 200% of the adjusted, higher poverty rate is still pretty much living hand to mouth. As a senior citizen – especially if they are an older senior, and one with medical problems – their ability to just run out and generate some more income somehow is probably non-existent.

Source: The Guardian September 15, 2016 11:00 UTC