What are the Federal Poverty Guidelines?
Each year, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updates the federal poverty guidelines. These are a list of annual income amounts, based on the number of people in a household. Different programs use the guidelines in different ways. More information is available on HHS's website.
For example, a state program might only provide a certain service to people whose annual household income is less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. To see if you qualify for such a program, choose the amount next to the number of people in your household, and multiply it by 2.
2023 Poverty Guidelines that Apply in Maryland
|
Persons in family/household |
Poverty guideline (annual income) |
138% |
150% |
200% |
250% |
|
1 |
$14,580 |
$20,120 | $21.870 |
$29,160 |
$36,450 |
|
2 |
$19,720 |
$27,214 |
$29,580 |
$39,440 |
$49,300 |
|
3 |
$24,860 |
$34,307 |
$37,290 |
$49,720 |
$62,150 |
|
4 |
$30,000 |
$41,400 |
$45,000 |
$60,000 |
$75,000 |
|
5 |
$35,140 |
$48,493 |
$52,710 |
$70,280 |
$87,850 |
|
6 |
$40,280 |
$55,586 |
$60,420 |
$80,560 |
$100,700 |
|
7 |
$45,420 |
$62,680 |
$68,130 |
$90,840 |
$113,550 |
|
8 |
$50,560 |
$69,773 |
$75,840 |
$101,120 |
$126,400 |
|
After 8 persons, add $5,140 for each additional person. |
|||||
Guidelines for prior years, from 1982 to the present, are available online on HHS's website.
How do the Federal Poverty Guidelines apply to me?
The guidelines do not define the terms “income” or “family,” because those rules vary from program to program. Therefore, there is no one answer to questions like, “Is income counted before or after taxes?”, “Should this kind of income be counted?”, and “Should this person be counted in my family?” To find these answers for each program, you need to ask someone at the program.