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The effects of welfare vehicle asset rules on vehicle assets

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  • Mark F. Owens
  • Charles L. Baum

Abstract

Before 1996, households were typically ineligible for welfare if they had assets worth more than $1000, where $1500 from each vehicle's value was excluded from this determination. However, the 1996 welfare reform act began allowing states to increase their asset limits and vehicle exclusions. This may prompt low-income households to reallocate resources to or from vehicles. We examine the effects of state vehicle asset rules on vehicle assets. Results show that liberalizing asset rules increases vehicle assets and that this increase is driven largely by eligible individuals increasing vehicle assets, with no evidence indicating that ineligible individuals reduce vehicle assets to become eligible.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark F. Owens & Charles L. Baum, 2012. "The effects of welfare vehicle asset rules on vehicle assets," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(13), pages 1603-1619, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:44:y:2012:i:13:p:1603-1619
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2010.548783
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Deokrye Baek & Christian Raschke, 2016. "The Impact of SNAP Vehicle Asset Limits on Household Asset Allocation," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 83(1), pages 146-175, July.
    3. Leah Hamilton & Ben Alexander-Eitzman & Whitney Royal, 2015. "Shelter From the Storm," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(1), pages 21582440155, February.
    4. Leah Hamilton & David Rothwell & Jin Huang & Yunju Nam & Taylor Dollar, 2019. "Guarding Public Coffers or Trapping the Poor? The Role of Public Assistance Asset Limits in Program Efficacy and Family Economic Well‐Being," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(1-2), pages 12-30, July.

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