An undercount in the United States Census where Illinois residents are not all counted can result in the loss of federal funds for programs and services including elder care. If you live in Illinois, make purchases in Illinois and pay taxes in Illinois, participating in the 2020 census is important to bring Illinois taxpayer’s dollars back to Illinois!
Illinois is investing $29 million to ensure an accurate count in 2020. Governor JB Pritzker said,
“Soon the state of Illinois will join the rest of the nation for a count of every living person in the United States. Billions of dollars of federal funding is on the line.”
Missing just 1% of the population would cost Illinois roughly $1.2 billion over 10 years. A state losing residents that result in a declining population like Illinois can lose members of Congress. Illinois benefits from participation in the 2020 census which determines:
• how much money the state will get for programs and services from the federal government’s $800 billion of federal funds and grants
• how many seats Illinois gets in the U.S. House of Representatives
• public and private business investments of $4 trillion annually
The census count starts April 1, 2020. Illinois residents will get letters with census instructions mailed to their homes starting in March.
The census is taken once every decade and it’s important for all residents, regardless of their immigration status, to participate in the 2020 census. Participation in the census is required by law for “everyone living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
Visit 2020census.gov to learn more about the 2020 Census – how to respond, and why it matters.
Elder care and elder law affect everyone. An experienced Illinois elder law attorney can explain applicable laws and advise you on the best options to protect the interests of senior citizens. Contact the Estate & Probate Legal Group at 630-800-0112.
