means tested
Based on finances
Means tested describes benefits, programs, or services that require applicants to demonstrate financial need before qualifying.
Income, assets, or both are evaluated against thresholds: Medicaid is means tested, but Medicare is not.
The term appears in policy discussions about social safety nets and government assistance programs.
Earning below average wages
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- deprivationState of lacking necessities
- financial needInsufficient resources for expenses
- disadvantageUnfavorable circumstance or condition
underprivileged · indigence · working poor · below poverty line · food insecurity · at-risk · marginalized · vulnerable populations
Required earnings level
- qualificationRequired skill or condition
- verificationProving something accurate
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
- criteriaStandards for judgment
assessment · screening · proof of income · household size · financial statements · tax returns · federal guidelines · income verification
Federal nutrition assistance
- food stampsSubsidized grocery purchasing vouchers
- housing assistancePrograms helping afford shelter
- TANFFederal cash assistance program
- Section 8Federally subsidized rental assistance
WIC · free school meals · legal aid · Head Start · childcare subsidies · utility assistance · prescription assistance · rent assistance
Policy changing public assistance
- benefit fraudIllegally obtaining public assistance
- clawbackContractual fund recovery
- poverty trapEconomic cycle reinforcing indigence
- stigmaMark of dishonor
targeting · universalism · conditionality · administrative burden · social safety net · phase-out · welfare dependency · bureaucracy
low-income
Earning below average wages
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- deprivationState of lacking necessities
- financial needInsufficient resources for expenses
disadvantage · underprivileged · indigence · working poor · below poverty line · food insecurity · at-risk · marginalized · vulnerable populations · economic hardship
income threshold
Required earnings level
- qualificationRequired skill or condition
- verificationProving something accurate
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
criteria · assessment · screening · proof of income · household size · financial statements · tax returns · federal guidelines · income verification · financial disclosure
SNAP
Federal nutrition assistance
- food stampsSubsidized grocery purchasing vouchers
- housing assistancePrograms helping afford shelter
- TANFFederal cash assistance program
Section 8 · WIC · free school meals · legal aid · Head Start · childcare subsidies · utility assistance · prescription assistance · rent assistance · public housing
welfare reform
Policy changing public assistance
- benefit fraudIllegally obtaining public assistance
- clawbackContractual fund recovery
- poverty trapEconomic cycle reinforcing indigence
stigma · targeting · universalism · conditionality · administrative burden · social safety net · phase-out · welfare dependency · bureaucracy
means testeduniversal
Affecting all equally
unconditional · automatic · guaranteed · no-strings-attached · contributory
means testeduniversal basic income
Guaranteed payments to all
for all · social insurance · contributory · entitlement · guaranteed
means, tested, mean, test, tests, testing, tester, testers, untested