no safety net
Don't Call Them DINKs. Many Childfree Adults Are ALICEs
Half of Americans living in deep poverty are childfree adults because it's harder to access certain tax and government assistance without kids.
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The Lede
America's DINKs — dual-income couples with no children — are known for having disposable income and spending their paychecks on major investments, luxury vacations and early retirement. A growing number of child-free adults, however, are falling through the cracks of the US economy.
Key Details
- Many low-income childfree adults fall into the ALICE category — people who are asset-limited, income-constrained and employed.
- Twenty-nine percent of US households make too much to qualify for government assistance but not enough to comfortably afford daily life.
- The US doesn't have a strong financial safety net to support childfree ALICEs. This is partly because having financially dependent children is a prerequisite of some government assistance programs.
