POVERTY in the United States is determined by an individual's income in relation to the poverty line. Right now that line is at about $18,400 for a family of 4. To put that another way, if your family of 4 earns a total of $18,400 in one year, then your family is poor. The minimum wage in Massachusetts is $6.75/hr (the US minimum wage is $5.15/hr!). If you worked 40 hrs/week, 52 weeks/year, you would earn $14,040/yr. You would be poor if you worked at the minimum wage for 40 hours per week. That ignores the fact that you wouldn't be able to get a 40-hour schedule because then the employer would have a full-time employee on their hands. No employer wants to pay benefits to a full-timer if they can shaft a part-timer. You would also be hungry on 40 hours/week because the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) states that the fair market rental price of a 1 bedroom apartment in metro Boston is $1,135/month. That's $13,620/year in rent alone. You'll have $420 with which to feed your family, put clothes on their backs, and get around to work, school, etc for THE ENTIRE YEAR!... God bless us, every one. Maybe you could be Jack Welch (formerly of GE)...seems like he's doing alright. I hope the divorce works out well for him. He's going to need someone around to spend all his money after his wife leaves...