If poverty is based on annual income. A multimillionaire farmer who has a bad crop and doesn't show a profit would be considered poor for that year. Sell enough assets that lost value to offset your income you to can be poor for a year. Use depreciation allowances to offset income and the same thing occurs. Using income as the determining factor can allow an individual to move from the bottom quintile to the top quintile with relative ease.
Also seniors living in a multi-hundred thousand dollar house, all paid off, own investments, invested for appreciation, not for income, and their only expense is pretty much only food, utilities and incidentals, which are covered by Social Security, are considered "poor".
The definition needs to change!