WHY POVERTY IS BAD FOR ALL AMERICANS

Nearly half of American children experience poverty before they reach their 18th birthday, and that reduces their chances of having a stable childhood and finishing high school and college, a new study by the nonprofit Urban Institute concludes.

The study — “Child Poverty and Adult Success” — analyzed data of people born between 1968 and 1989 from the “Panel Study of Income Dynamics,” which follows 18,000 individuals and 5,000 families over the course of their childhood. It used over 40 years of data to follow poor children, creating a picture of why some succeed as adults — and others do not. Children as a group are disproportionately poor, according to the 2014 Census: Roughly one in five children live in poverty in the U.S. compared with one in eight adults.

Although it depends on where you live, the federal poverty level translates to annual income of $11,770 a year for individuals and $24,250 for a family of four, according to the Department of Health and Human Services; federal poverty levels are used to determine a person’s or family’s eligibility for certain social programs and benefits. Four of every 10 children (39%) are poor for at least one year before they reach their 18th birthday. Black children fare much worse: More than 75% are poor during childhood. The percentage for white children is also substantial, yet far lower (30%).

CLICK HERE; 5 ways parents may pass on their economic and social challenges to their children: