Glossary · Programs & credentials
Federal poverty level (FPL)
Also called: federal poverty guidelines · poverty guidelines · HHS poverty guidelines
Yearly income figures, by household size, that the US government publishes and assistance programs use to set income limits, such as 200% of poverty.
What it means
The Department of Health and Human Services updates its poverty guidelines each January, with higher figures for Alaska and Hawaii; program pages often call them the federal poverty level, or FPL. Programs set limits as a percentage of them: the Weatherization Assistance Program generally uses 200%, and LIHEAP allows up to 150% or 60% of state median income, whichever is greater.
Why it matters in an audit
Your household income as a percentage of FPL decides whether you qualify for free weatherization, bill assistance and some rebates.
Typical numbers
Reference values with their sources. Your auditor’s report gives the figure for your own house.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 guideline, 48 contiguous states and DC | $15,960 for 1 person, plus $5,680 for each additional person ($33,000 for a household of 4) | federalregister.gov ↗ |
| 2026 guideline, Alaska and Hawaii | Alaska $19,950 and Hawaii $18,360 for 1 person; $41,250 and $37,950 for a household of 4 | federalregister.gov ↗ |
| 200% of the 2026 guideline, household of 4 (contiguous states) | $66,000 | Arithmetic from the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines |
| Effective date | January 13, 2026, unless a program sets its own date | federalregister.gov ↗ |