Fixing Errors in a SNAP: Addressing SNAP Underreporting to Evaluate Poverty
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 112,
May 2022
(pp. 330-34)
Abstract
Since 1969, the official poverty measure has remained largely unchanged, despite substantial changes in the social safety net. This paper proposes a methodology for creating a buildable replacement to the official poverty measure, starting with market-based income, incorporating social insurance income, and building toward the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). While all components would not be available for the full time series, this approach would keep the unit of analysis constant, allow thresholds to vary by geography, and allow full understanding of the role of government taxes and transfers on poverty rates over time.Citation
Fox, Liana, Jonathan Rothbaum, and Kathryn Shantz. 2022. "Fixing Errors in a SNAP: Addressing SNAP Underreporting to Evaluate Poverty." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 112: 330-34. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20221040Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- H53 National Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
- H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- I32 Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
- I38 Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs