Grandparents as Caregivers: Michael Jackson's "Broke" Kids Need Money and Are Not Alone

According to a July 24, 2009 report by Nancy Dillon of NYDailyNews.com, lawyers for Michael Jackson's estate have asked the court for an allowance to help Grandmother Katherine Jackson, and Michael Jackson's three children, Prince Michael, Paris, and Blanket with living expenses. The report says that Katherine Jackson has been living off Social Security since Michael Jackson's death on June 25, 2009.

Despite Katherine Jackson being granted temporary guardianship of her three grandchildren, the court postponed hearing the matter until August 3^rd. Other recent reports confirm that Katherine Jackson was financially dependent on an allowance from Michael Jackson and that Janet Jackson may be the one to step in with providing that allowance until the estate is settled.

It turns out that Katherine Jackson is not the only Grandmother thrust into the role as caregiver for her grandchildren. The U.S. Census Bureau shows that in the year 2007, there were 6.2 million grandparents in America who had grandchildren under the age of 18 living with them. More than 40% of those grandparents were responsible for providing most of the food, shelter, and clothing of at least one of their grandchildren living with them. That is a lot of Hallmark cards to give on National Grandparents Day that is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the Labor Day holiday.

It also turns out that Michael Jackson's children are not the only ones being cared for by their grandparents. In 2008, 6.6 million children, or 9% of all children, lived with their grandparents. Most of those children, 4.4 million of them, lived in their grandparents' home. Only 2.6 million lived with both a grandmother and a grandfather. It may be a challenge for the children since 732,000 grandparents who care for their grandchildren have a disability. The median annual income for the grandparent caregiver household without any help from the family is $33,453. Is it time for the federal government to bail out Grandparents as Caregivers?

It is not likely that Katherine Jackson, aged 79, will return to the workforce to help provide for her grandchildren, but 1.5 million other grandparents who are responsible for the basic needs of their grandchildren also hold down jobs in the work force. You could say that Katherine Jackson's income is below poverty level if she is living on Social Security alone, but there are 482,000 other grandparents whose income is below poverty level and who are raising their grandchildren who will not, one day, receive part of the million of dollars in Michael Jackson's estate.

Sources:

Michael Jackson's children strapped for cash, attorneys argue for allowance
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/michael_jackson/2009/07/24/2009-07-24_michael_jacksons_children_strapped_for_cash.html

U.S. Census
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/013971.html