Civic Report
No. 35 March 2003


Gaining Ground, Moving Up: The Change in the Economic Status of Single Mother Under Welfare Reform

Table 13: Tracking Monthly Household Cash and Non-Cash Income (in 2001 dollars) and Income/Poverty Ratios of Cohorts of Welfare Leavers, Using SIPP Panel Data in the Months Before and After Leaving Welfare, 1996–1999

 

 

 Six-month period on welfare before exit

Months After Exit

 

7–12 months before exit

First 6 months

7–12 months

13–18 months

19–24 months

25–30 months

31–36 months

37–42 months

A: Mean monthly household cash plus non-cash income 1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cohort leaving welfare after:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

first 6 mths in 1996

 

2,305

2,394

2,411

2,451

2,493

2,873

2,982

3,331

second 6 mths in 1996

1,867

2,011

2,079

2,159

2,482

2,496

2,246

2,472

 

first 6 mths in 1997

2,007

2,055

2,074

2,515

2,573

2,693

2,640

 

 

second 6 mths in 1997

1,732

2,126

2,029

1,971

2,047

2,493

 

 

 

first 6 mths in 1998

2,069

2,348

2,531

2,426

2,501

 

 

 

 

second 6 mths in 1998

1,628

1,745

1,784

1,924

 

 

 

 

 

first 6 mths in 1999

2,223

2,348

2,309

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B: Mean ratio of household cash and certain non-cash income to the poverty threshold

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cohort leaving welfare after:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

first 6 mths in 1996

 

1.40

1.53

1.54

1.58

1.62

1.79

1.82

1.98

second 6 mths in 1996

1.12

1.20

1.30

1.38

1.50

1.52

1.42

1.57

 

first 6 mths in 1997

1.24

1.28

1.32

1.58

1.61

1.70

1.65

 

 

second 6 mths in 1997

1.11

1.32

1.28

1.27

1.33

1.62

 

 

 

first 6 mths in 1998

1.26

1.42

1.52

1.49

1.53

 

 

 

 

second 6 mths in 1998

1.03

1.10

1.12

1.22

 

 

 

 

 

first 6 mths in 1999

1.35

1.43

1.40

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: Population restricted to women ages 20–55 (last panel interview) with children under age 18 (in 6-month period before exit) and who did not attrite from the sample in any of the 12 waves. Welfare leavers are those who are observed to be on welfare for at least 4 months out of a 6-month period (the 6-month period on welfare before exit) followed by an 8-month period with at least 4 months off welfare. Some leavers return to welfare and they are included in the post-exit months.

1) Total household cash income plus the value of non-cash benefits and including our estimate of the EITC. Non-cash income aggregates dollar values for food stamps, WIC, and energy assistance. The income of a male partner, if present, is included in household income. Information was not available on taxes paid and is excluded.

[Table 1][Table 2][Table 3][Table 4][Table 5][Table 6][Table 7][Table 8]
[
Table 9][Table 10][Table 11][Table 12][Table 13][Table 14]