Modest Income Research Articles

Risk for Financial Precarity From Hospitalization: Implications for Targeting Financial Assistance in Medicare.

High out-of-pocket costs in Medicare may leave many beneficiaries in financial precarity. Beneficiaries with modest incomes are often ineligible for Medicaid (which covers most out-of-pocket Medicare costs) and may have insufficient resources to pay an unexpected health care bill. This has prompted calls to improve financial protections, but the target population remains uncharacterized. To identify beneficiaries who would face financial precarity if exposed to the Medicare Part A hospital deductible ($1600). Cross-sectional study of the 2018 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. United States. Community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries with incomes greater than 100% to 400% or less of the federal poverty level. Nationally representative estimates of financial precarity, defined as having insufficient funds to pay the deductible, examined across 4 scenarios that considered checking and savings account balances, total liquid assets (with a reserve for future living costs), and supplemental insurance. Among 4881 beneficiaries (population weighted n = 26 619 823), 45.0% had insufficient funds in checking and savings accounts to pay the Medicare hospital deductible. Financial precarity was more prevalent among Black and Hispanic versus White beneficiaries (73.5% and 76.2% vs. 36.2%), those with less versus more than high school education (70.0% vs. 37.1%), and those with 3 or more versus 2 or fewer chronic conditions (49.2% vs. 39.1%). In defining financial precarity to include beneficiaries with insufficient liquid assets to pay the deductible while maintaining a $5000 reserve for future living expenses, 50.7% were financially precarious. Building off this definition to assume supplemental insurance covered the deductible, 39.0% remained financially precarious. Cost-sharing exposure is limited to hospitalization. Many Medicare beneficiaries with modest incomes are at risk for financial hardship from costs of a single hospital stay. National Institute on Aging.

The Impact of Digital Inclusive Finance on the Sustainable Growth of Income of Herdsmen in China’s Pastoral Areas

The sustainable growth of income for farming households in pastoral areas represents a crucial challenge not only for China but also for other developing nations in the process of transition to ecologically friendly models. The scarcity of assets available for collateral, along with vulnerable production conditions and developmental shortcomings, pose significant barriers to the consistent expansion of herdsmen’s income. This paper analyzes the impact of digital financial inclusion on the income of herdsmen in ethnic minority regions using panel data models from nine major pastoral provinces in China from 2011 to 2022. Through a fixed-effects model approach, the analysis delves into the influence of digital financial inclusion and subjects it to multi-dimensional and robustness tests to ensure the reliability of the findings. Furthermore, the research explores the underlying mechanisms through which digital financial inclusion contributes to income enhancement for herdsmen in these areas, employing mediation effect techniques to provide deeper insights into the relationship between digital financial services and economic upliftment in remote ethnic communities. The research findings indicate that digital financial inclusion has a positive impact on the income of herdsmen in ethnic minority regions. The breadth of coverage, depth of usage, and level of digitalization of digital financial inclusion all play a significant role in enhancing the income levels of herdsmen. In terms of the degree of influence, the impact of digital finance on the income of ethnic minorities follows this order: depth of usage > degree of digitalization > breadth of coverage. Notably, through financial backing that catalyzes a shift in herdsmen’s production methodologies and propels industrial upgrading, there is a profound potential to increase herdsmen’s output efficiency. This, in turn, alleviates the ecological strain on China’s environmentally delicate zones. Moreover, financial backing can condense the breeding periods for herdsmen, thereby ameliorating the ecological degradation associated with excessive grazing in pastoral regions. A mediating-effect analysis reveals that digital financial inclusion can boost economic development in ethnic minority regions by increasing wage income, raising per capita GDP levels, and promoting industrial structure upgrading. This, in turn, leads to an improvement in the income of herdsmen in these regions. This is particularly pertinent in China, where the eco-fragility of pastoral regions coincides with the modest income of herdsmen, underscoring the critical importance of herdsmen’s finance. To foster sustainable progress in these regions, financial backing is imperative to elevate herdsmen’s income and to induce a transformative shift in production approaches and industrial layout, paving the way for the sustainable development of these pastoral regions.

A modest basic income can benefit a poor majority

Given a general utility and income distribution and positive unemployment benefits, we analyze the impact of a universal basic income (UBI) financed by an income tax and reducing unemployment benefits. With extensive margins only and identical fixed costs of work, we show that UBI can benefit a poor majority. Plausible conditions can ensure similar results with different fixed costs. With both extensive and intensive margins but identical fixed costs, a modest UBI can still benefit a poor majority provided the income weighted tax elasticity of labor supply from intensive margins is less than the non-employment rate, which is usually true.

Social, Community and Cooperative Housing: Practices of Empowerment and Equity Serving People with Low and Modest Incomes

Social, Community and Cooperative Housing: Practices of Empowerment and Equity Serving People with Low and Modest Incomes

One generation apart: Individual income and life expectancy in two Swedish cohorts born before and after the expansion of the welfare state

Aims: Social inequalities in mortality persist or even increase in high-income countries. Most evidence is based on a period approach to measuring mortality – that is, data from individuals born decades apart. A cohort approach, however, provides complementary insights using data from individuals who grow up and age under similar social and institutional arrangements. This study compares income inequalities in cohort life expectancy in two Swedish cohorts, one born before and one born after the expansion of the welfare state. Methods: Data on individuals born in Sweden in 1922–1926 and 1951–1955 were obtained from total population registries. These data were linked to individual disposable income from 1970 and 1999 and mortality between 50 and 61 years of age in 1972–1987 and 2001–2016, respectively. We calculated cohort temporary life expectancies in the two cohorts by income and gender. Results: Life expectancy, income, and income inequalities in life expectancy increased between the two cohorts, for both men and women. Women born in 1922–1926 had modest income differences in life expectancy, but pronounced differences emerged in the cohort born in 1951–1955. Men with low incomes born in 1951–1955 had roughly similar life expectancy as those with low incomes born in 1922–1926. Conclusions: Compared with a period approach to life expectancy trends, the cohort approach highlights the stagnation of mortality at the lowest income groups for men and the rapid emergence of a mortality gradient for women. Future research on health inequalities in welfare states should consider underlying factors both from a cohort and period perspective.

A Strategy for Rolling out Climate De-risk Insurance through Regional Collaboration

Abstract Most Asian countries exhibit modest income levels and low insurance penetration, while facing rising exposures to natural disasters due to climate change. This paper discusses a strategy for regional collaboration among Asian countries to build resilience through participation in a regional insurance pool. At the core of this strategy is a new type of Climate De-risk Insurance (CDRI) product, where a portion (10–20 %) of the premium is designated for risk assessment and mitigation as compared to conventional loss coverage. CDRI products are offered through commercial insurance companies in participating countries and distributed through a network of dedicated risk management agencies. CDRI insurance needs to be guided by enabling regulation, with greater emphasis on the effectiveness of the use of funds in risk mitigation and claims payments. Moreover, the CDRI development fund can be created in the form of a public-private partnership, as a means of mobilizing financial support for rolling out CDRI insurance.

The Impact of Financial Aid Programmes on Access to Higher Education in Ugandan Universities

In Uganda, limited financial resources often obstruct higher education opportunities, particularly for those with modest incomes. Various financial aid initiatives have been introduced in an attempt to rectify this issue for equitable access. This study aimed to investigate the impact of financial aid initiatives on higher education accessibility, guided by two main research questions: (1) To what extent do financial aid programmes bolster access to higher education? (2) What challenges do students face in accessing financial aid for higher education? Employing a mixed-methods approach, data on enrollment into higher education institutions in Uganda were extracted from a National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) 2020 report for an overview into impacts of financial aid on access to higher education. For contextual and in-depth insight into the impacts of financial aid programmes on access to higher education, secondary data on loan schemes in two public universities and the Kabaka Education Fund in a private university were obtained and analysed using descriptive statistics. To understand the experiences and perspectives of financial aid programme recipients, qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 138 beneficiaries, including 12 individual recipients and 13 focus group discussions (FGDs) that involved 126 progressing recipients with about 9–10 persons per group from the three selected universities, whose responses were analysed using thematic content analysis. The results revealed that much as financial aid programmes have improved access to higher education in Ugandan universities, most financial services remain accessible primarily to wealthier individuals owing to barriers including application procedures, expenditure, discriminatory practices, limited information, a negative attitude towards aid and demotivation. The study recommends prioritising strategies that address the needs of a diverse student population to ensure equitable access to higher education, thereby promoting human progress, economic development, and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

The Impact of Financial Aid Programmes on Access to Higher Education in Ugandan Universities

In Uganda, limited financial resources often obstruct higher education opportunities, particularly for those with modest incomes. Various financial aid initiatives have been introduced in an attempt to rectify this issue for equitable access. This study aimed to investigate the impact of financial aid initiatives on higher education accessibility, guided by two main research questions: (1) To what extent do financial aid programmes bolster access to higher education? (2) What challenges do students face in accessing financial aid for higher education? Employing a mixed-methods approach, data on enrolment into higher education institutions in Uganda were extracted from a National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) 2020 report for an overview into impacts of financial aid on access to higher education. For contextual and in-depth insight into the impacts of financial aid programmes on access to higher education, secondary data on loan schemes in two public universities and the Kabaka Education Fund in a private university were obtained and analysed using descriptive statistics. To understand the experiences and perspectives of financial aid programme recipients, qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 138 beneficiaries, including 12 individual recipients and 13 focus group discussions (FGDs) that involved 126 progressing recipients with about 9–10 persons per group from the three selected universities, whose responses were analysed using thematic content analysis. The results revealed that much as financial aid programmes have improved access to higher education in Ugandan universities, most financial services remain accessible primarily to wealthier individuals owing to barriers including application procedures, expenditure, discriminatory practices, limited information, a negative attitude towards aid and demotivation. The study recommends prioritising strategies that address the needs of a diverse student population to ensure equitable access to higher education, thereby promoting human progress, economic development, and the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Socio-economic mapping for community empowerment in Mandalika special economic zone, Lombok, Indonesia

The community’s welfare is anticipated to increase with development in highly prioritized regions of the country’s tourism industry. Studies, however, indicate that this is not always the case. If the process of social engineering is not taken seriously, even poverty will continue to cast a shadow over the neighborhood. What about the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which has been designated as a new area for economic growth and has had expensive tourism amenities constructed? This study aims to map the social and economic state of the neighborhood surrounding the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ). This study employed mixed methods, which combine quantitative and qualitative techniques. Maps representing the community’s social and economic situations are produced quantitatively. A qualitative approach uses a participative procedure to create a community empowerment model. The study’s findings are: (1) The community’s social and economic situations are underwhelming. Public health infrastructure, such as drinking water facilities, sanitization, and waste disposal, is still subpar. People in SEZ Mandalika still have modest incomes, and many are even considered impoverished. (2) The community’s human, ecological, and cultural resources contribute to its potential. Numerous forms of tourism infrastructure have been constructed. (3) There are five components to the suggested community empowerment model: the government, academia, community, media, and business actors (Penta helix).

Territorial Impact of the Agriculture Vocational Education in Albania

The agricultural vocational education secondary school (AVESS) system in Albania, is organized through 8 institutions located in various regions, that tend to respond to entire the national demand, giving equal opportunities to all interested students, regardless of their place of residence. In these regards, the Albanian government has implemented several measures to attract students to integrate AVESS and facilitate their integration in the labor market. Despite the various measures, including financial support or adapted facilities for students coming from families with low income or from remote areas. The territorial impact of AVES remains limited and shows a relatively low coverage. This phenomenon is not exclusive to agricultural professional schools that do not have dormitories, but even to vocational schools that have dormitories and adequate facilities. Aiming towards a sustainable agricultural sector development and an efficient sectoral labor market, that tends to guarantee equal opportunities for the new generations, the objectives of the study are AVESS Gap identification, factors that impact AVESS attendance, assessment of the impact of governmental measures, and proposing recommendations for a sustainable AVESS system. To understand what are the main factors that influence the territorial impact of AVESS, a consolidated assessment has been performed during 2020-2021, passing through desk research, screening, focus groups, working groups, experts and agricultural representative interviews, and visit to relevant agricultural businesses, workshops, and dedicated surveys targeting teachers, students, and local businesses. Out of the assessment results, family income is the main factor influencing AVESS attendance. Regardless if schools have dormitory facilities or not, as the distance between students’ homes and the vocational school’s location increases, family income also tends to increase, but at a decreasing rate. Students coming from families with modest incomes show a lower mobility and beyond a certain distance they are less likely to register in AVESS located far from their residence. By testing three main hypotheses, it has been noticed that home-school distance negatively affects the attendance of students coming from families with lower incomes. In other words, family income plays a significant role in determining school attendance, particularly when considering the distance between students' homes and AVESS. Considering this finding and the low AVESS territorial impact, imply that the governmental financial incentives have a low impact and do not offer equal opportunities to all students, especially the ones residing far away from AVESS and coming from families with low incomes. In this context, new policies could be taken into account, such as enlarging the number of AVESS or evaluating the possibility to open agricultural vocational education secondary classes in general high schools located in rural areas.

A change of direction for family policy in Italy: some reflections on the general family allowance (GFA)

We present and discuss the General Family Allowance (GFA), in Italian: Assegno Unico Universale, a measure that the Italian Government and Parliament have put in place from March 2022 addressing the persistent low fertility in Italy. The GFA modernizes monetary transfers in favor of families with children in Italy, covering large groups of families that were previously excluded from full benefits. Even if the aim of the GFA is to support fertility rather than to alleviate child poverty, it is likely that this measure will help to reduce poverty, especially for families with children previously excluded from significant cash contributions, such as recently resident foreigners and the unemployed. In addition, as GFA amounts are modest for wealthier couples, its potential effect on fertility—if there will be any—should be limited to couples with modest incomes. The GFA is also compared with the different systems of monetary transfers in favor of families with children of developed countries.

Model of Utilization and Participative Management of Community Forests according to Geosocial Principles

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the utilization of the Huai Sai Khao Community Forest, Ban Tha Pa Pao, Tha Pla Duk Sub-district, Mae Tha District, and Lamphun Province with community participation. 2) To study the mode of participative management of community forests according to the geosocial principles of Ban Tha Pa Pao, Tha Pla Duk Sub-district, Mae Tha District, and Lamphun Province. The objectives were performed using questionnaires from a sample group of 66 household representatives and qualitative research using in-depth interviews and group discussions from village forums. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, and mean. The results showed that the social structure of Ban Tha Pa Pao was self-sufficient agriculture. Most people in the community had modest incomes and were primarily men. Overall, it was an empowered community with indigenous knowledge from the local sage, who was a leader and had visions for solving problems and developing communities properly. In addition, the cooperation of people in the community is of great importance to the community forest area. Villagers utilized community forests by collecting non-timber forest products and hunting at all times, and they mainly utilized the forests during the dry season. In terms of community forest management, it was found that villagers participated in community forest management as a whole at a good level. Villagers participating in decision-making showed that they were aware of taking part in proposing alternatives and discussing guidelines to solve problems and set rules or regulations in the management of community forests. Research results suggest that the community forest management model should be adapted to suit modern times and be distinctive to create value for the community and be a source of learning for the community. It should increase the conservation of wildlife that is scarce and provide knowledge about wildlife conservation and the balance of the ecosystem, as well as continuously develop a source of learning and good publicity.

Charge hike a political choice that will hit millions on modest incomes

Charge hike a political choice that will hit millions on modest incomes

Adverse mental health indicators are associated with increased odds of excessive gestational weight gain among underweight and modest income women of the 3D prospective cohort study

Certain maternal mental health indicators (MMHI) may be associated with excess gestational weight gain (GWG).

WHAT ECONOMIC MODEL SHOULD FUND THE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL HOUSING IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES? SOME EXAMPLES

This paper discusses the concepts of standard of living, modest incomes and suggests the methods of calculating their values Stakeholders involved in the production and management of social housing are identified and their roles within the sector are defined.The two economic models that can be used for the production and management of social housing are also presented and it can be seen that, while one of the models is based solely on bank loans, the other relies mainlyon public funding. For its implementation, the bank lending business model requires the existence of a strong financial market that underpins a network of successful banking institutions. While this is true in most industrialized countries, this is not the case in developing countries where this network of institutions is embryonic or non-existent. The second economic model, based on public funding alone, appears to be a reliable alternative for producing and managing social housing in developing countries. However, an economic crisis materialized by the scarcity of public financial resources could lead to a deadlock in the functioning of this model. A careful examination of the economic models for financing the production and management of social housing that have been implemented in the world, presents at least three (03) realities: First, (i) Cameroon chose the economic model basedsolely on public financing second, (ii) some countries in Europe have opted either for the economic model based on bank loans or the one based on public financing and finally, (iii) a third group of countries that have opted for a hybrid economic model based on a mixture of bank loans and partial or total use of public financing.

Smart Agricultural Futures Market: Blockchain Technology as a Trust Enabler between Smallholder Farmers and Buyers

Smallholder farmers produce over 70% of the world’s food needs. Yet, the socioeconomic conditions of the smallholder farmers are substandard. One of the primary reasons for this unpropitious situation is that they generate modest income by selling their harvest due to the lack of trusted buyers and organized markets. This research explores how technology can enable the trust to reduce transaction-related risks, empowering unknown parties to transact. Blockchain technology has the potential of mitigating transaction-related risks and promoting trust with a tamper-proof history of transactions and automatic execution of smart contracts. Based on blockchain technology to promote trust, this research has discovered a novel approach for smallholder farmers to conduct exchanges by generating social capital as an individual and using that social capital as collateral for financial exchanges when establishing contracts. This approach empowers farmers to trade smart futures contracts on behalf of the expected harvest at a better rate to receive some cash in advance to be used in the cultivation process to produce a high-quality harvest that attracts better rates. It also enables them to perform aggregated marketing with enhanced market linkages that, in turn, assist in increasing margins made by the farmer.

Basic Income and the Social Investment State: Towards Mutual Reinforcement?

Is a social investment strategy compatible with the provision of an unconditional basic income? Prima facie, these two scenarios look like incongruent policy alternatives. While social investment – an influential policy paradigm at the level of the European Union – aims at promoting public services and maximum labour market participation, basic income is paid in cash and has sometimes been presented as the key component of a post-work future. In this article, we explore this apparent incongruence and show that these two visions for welfare reform are not necessarily incompatible. We argue that they may share a number of substantial points of agreement, and indeed may reinforce one another according to a logic of institutional complementarity. In particular, we claim that a partial basic income (i.e., a modest unconditional income guarantee, whose amount would be insufficient if one lives alone) could enhance or complement the key functions of a social-democratic version of the social investment strategy. By doing so, we conclude that the integration of a basic income into a social investment package could contribute to overcoming criticisms of the social investment agenda. At the same time, it could rescue basic income from the numerous critics who see it as an unrealistic policy proposal.

Policy Forum: Who Needs Property Tax Deferral?

There are good reasons to impose property taxes on owner-occupied housing. Yet population aging and declining rates of home ownership among younger Canadians mean that an increasing number of homes are owned by older Canadians, many of whom have modest incomes. This raises the question "How do these seniors get the wherewithal to pay their property taxes?" British Columbia, Alberta, and some other jurisdictions have addressed this issue through property tax deferral programs. These allow property taxes to be deferred until the home is sold, with the interest charged on the deferred amount generally being below market rates. The province or local municipality ensures that the deferred taxes will be repaid by taking a lien on the property. Property tax deferral would be expected to be attractive for seniors, because it usually allows them to tap into their home equity at a low cost and maintain their standard of living as they age. Yet the (scant) evidence available suggests that the takeup rates for property tax deferral programs are "extremely low." This article sets out the rationale for property tax deferral and describes current Canadian property tax deferral programs. The author discusses policy options, arguing that there is a rationale for having property tax deferrals in place, and substantial scope for redesigning property tax deferral programs so that their benefits reach those who need them.

Policy Forum: The Prevalence of Low Income Tax Payments Among Owners of Expensive Homes in Vancouver and Toronto

In 2018, the top 5 percent of homes in Greater Vancouver, based on their property value, had a median value of $3.7 million, but the median owner of a home in this group paid income taxes of just $15,800. Using data from the Canadian Housing Statistics Program, the authors analyze the relationship between homeowners' income tax payments and the value of the homes they own. In metropolitan Toronto, the elasticity of non-corporate owners' income taxes paid with respect to property value appears to be in line with that in many US cities, at roughly 0.7. (A 10 percent increase in property value is on average associated with a 7 percent increase in income tax paid.) In metropolitan Vancouver, that same elasticity is only about 0.3 or 0.5, depending on whether the elasticity is calculated on the basis of medians or means, and would be at or near the bottom among US metropolitan areas. These results call into question the overall progressivity of taxation in Greater Vancouver. We provide mixed evidence concerning the role of foreign buyers in making Vancouver's income tax-property value relationship weak. In contrast to other Canadian and US metropolitan areas, Vancouver exhibited a particularly weak relationship between income tax and property value between 2011 and 2016. A modest minimum income tax based on property value could raise billions of dollars annually in both the Vancouver and Toronto metropolitan areas.

Children's mental and behavioral health, schooling, and socioeconomic characteristics during school closure in France due to COVID-19: the SAPRIS project

COVID-19 limitation strategies have led to widespread school closures around the world. The present study reports children’s mental health and associated factors during the COVID-19 school closure in France in the spring of 2020. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the SAPRIS project set up during the COVID-19 pandemic in France. Using multinomial logistic regression models, we estimated associations between children’s mental health, children’s health behaviors, schooling, and socioeconomic characteristics of the children’s families. The sample consisted of 5702 children aged 8–9 years, including 50.2% girls. In multivariate logistic regression models, children’s sleeping difficulties were associated with children’s abnormal symptoms of both hyperactivity-inattention (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 2.05; 95% Confidence Interval 1.70–2.47) and emotional symptoms (aOR 5.34; 95% CI 4.16–6.86). Factors specifically associated with abnormal hyperactivity/inattention were: male sex (aOR 2.29; 95% CI 1.90–2.76), access to specialized care prior to the pandemic and its suspension during school closure (aOR 1.51; 95% CI 1.21–1.88), abnormal emotional symptoms (aOR 4.06; 95% CI 3.11–5.29), being unschooled or schooled with assistance before lockdown (aOR 2.13; 95% CI 1.43–3.17), and tutoring with difficulties or absence of a tutor (aOR 3.25; 95% CI 2.64–3.99; aOR 2.47; 95% CI 1.48–4.11, respectively). Factors associated with children’s emotional symptoms were the following: being born pre-term (aOR 1.34; 95% CI 1.03–1.73), COVID-19 cases among household members (aOR 1.72; 95% CI 1.08–2.73), abnormal symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention (aOR 4.18; 95% CI 3.27–5.34) and modest income (aOR 1.45; 95% CI 1.07–1.96; aOR 1.36; 95% CI 1.01–1.84). Multiple characteristics were associated with elevated levels of symptoms of hyperactivity-inattention and emotional symptoms in children during the period of school closure due to COVID-19. Further studies are needed to help policymakers to balance the pros and cons of closing schools, taking into consideration the educational and psychological consequences for children.