Predicting Paternalism: Welfare Asset Limits and State-Level Demographic, Economic, and Political Factors

Welfare eligibility is usually determined via income and financial assets. Since devolution of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families administration in 1996, there is significant state variation in these criteria. Previous research suggests that income limits are influenced by racial politics, with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of poverty 2019-07, Vol.23 (5), p.404-414
Main Authors: Hamilton, Leah, Fawson, Peter R., Dollar, Taylor
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Assets
Criteria
Decentralization
Economic factors
Families & family life
Families in poverty
Legislatures
Low income groups
Paternalism
Political factors
race
Welfare policy
Welfare recipients
welfare reform
Welfare services
Welfare state
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Summary:Welfare eligibility is usually determined via income and financial assets. Since devolution of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families administration in 1996, there is significant state variation in these criteria. Previous research suggests that income limits are influenced by racial politics, with more restrictive criteria associated with higher Black populations. The current study examined whether asset testing is similarly determined. Findings indicate that asset tests are positively associated with a democratic State Senate, median income, and the percentage of Black residents. The presence of advocates seeking to advance asset-building opportunities to low-income families may have influenced this divergence in income and asset testing.
ISSN:1087-5549
1540-7608
DOI:10.1080/10875549.2019.1587658