The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published the Federal Poverty Levels (FPL) for this year. There’s a slight increase, as is usually the case. To be on the very verge of poverty (100% of FPL) as the federal government has determined, an individual would have annual income of $15,650. That calculates at a monthly income of $1,304. A family of four would be on that edge with a combined annual income of $32,150, which is roughly the cost of half a dozen eggs, or so it seems.
The FPL may seem a rather arbitrary figure but is the basis for the calculation of such things as SNAP, Medical Assistance, Medicare Savings Programs, and other such federal and state sponsored programs. It matters.
You can see the full array of figures here: Poverty Guidelines | ASPE