Database of State Policies Affecting Marriage

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WIC
The Special Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides supplemental food packages to low-income infants (before their first birthday), young children (ages 1-4), pregnant women, and postpartum and breastfeeding mothers. The primary eligibility rule—established nationally—is that family income must be less than 185 percent of the poverty guideline for the family’s size. The threshold does not vary explicitly by marital status or cohabitation. Eligibility may also be gained through “adjunctive” eligibility, whereby an infant, child, pregnant woman, or postpartum or breastfeeding mother who is receiving benefits from Medicaid, TANF, or the Food Stamp Program is automatically eligible for WIC. Thus, there is some possibility that rules in those programs that vary by marital status or cohabitation have indirect effects on WIC eligibility. However, in practice, most adjunctive eligibility is through Medicaid eligibility, and the Medicaid program has no eligibility rules for mothers or children that vary explicitly by marital status or cohabitation.

Click the program name to view the long description.

No policies vary by marital status or cohabitation.