Most New Yorkers look forward to receiving their tax returns so they can pay or catch up on bills. But unlike the last couple years, they won't be getting back as much, which can hurt families who are struggling to juggle the increasing costs of rent, child care and food.

"About 7:45, he gets on the bus and about 7:50, I bring her to day care. And my day starts," said Shakiya Stewart, a mother of three who gets her kids ready for the day, then maps out her schedule.

"I am currently out of work right now, so I go out and I look for work," said Stewart.

She recently lost her job, and the bills have already started to pile up. Between the cost of rent, food and child care, she says they’re just getting by.

"I spend about $400 of every month on groceries," Stewart said. "I actually noticed that formula prices went up. It makes it very difficult to live, especially when you're on, like, government assistance. So when you're getting a fixed income, you only can budget your money."

In 49 counties across the state, more than 20% of renters spend more than half their monthly income on rent, according to a new study from the Citizens' Committee for Children of New York.

"Gas prices are crazy. Just prices. The prices of child care. I pay $235 every week for child care and that's for both of them together. Especially me, living in a place that's supposed to be affordable is now becoming unaffordable," said Stewart.

Based on the most recent Census, around 746,000 children in the state live in households with incomes below the federal poverty level, pegged at about $26,000 for a family of four.

"Minimum wage is $15. You can make $500 a week. My rent. You know, what I'm saying, is pretty much that plus the back, plus I got to travel, plus I have to feed my children, plus I have to pay for their clothing. Things like that is very expensive. So I'll try to find an apartment where it was about $900 and my income was about $1,000 a month," said Stewart.

The report takes a look at 18 indicators in measuring barriers to well-being, housing, education and access to health care.

Though Albany falls in the average mark where Stewart lives, the study found that out of the state’s 62 counties, the 10 counties facing the greatest barriers to overall well-being are the Bronx, Kings, Yates, Franklin, Montgomery, Greene, Queens, Sullivan, Chautauqua and Fulton counties.

Stewart walked down the block from her apartment to drop her daughter off to day care and her son to the bus stop. Then it's time for her to apply for more jobs and wait for a call back.