Performing ability to pay assessments requires an understanding of the financial challenges that many people in the United States face. In this module you will explore the income status for your home state and jurisdiction.2 Then, we will look at how fines and fees exacerbate financial strain for those experiencing financial difficulties.
Each year the Department of Health and Human Services updates the Federal Poverty Guidelines with data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The poverty guidelines indicate the least amount of income a person or family needs to meet their basic needs.
[2] Income is only one of many factors that determine how much someone can afford to pay. We will discuss the factors in more depth together in Module 3.