Urban Institute nonprofit social and economic policy research
July 30, 2010

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What Will Happen if the Bush Tax Cuts Expire?


Tax cuts enacted during the Bush administration are set to expire at the end of this year unless Congress extends them. If no action is taken, our Tax Policy Center analysis finds income taxes will rise, more taxpayers will pay alternative minimum tax (AMT), and the estate tax will come back into existence under pre-2001 law. Extending the tax cuts would reduce the average tax rate from 23.5 percent to 20.7 percent. Read more.

Elderly Man Working

Raising the Retirement Age


The Social Security Reform debate in Congress includes serious discussion on raising the nation's retirement age. Urban Institute research examines the arguments for and against increasing the retirement age, addressing the economic and social effects on older Americans, including those with low incomes and disabilities. Read more.

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Everything You Wanted to Know About Health Care Reform...


The Urban Institute Health Policy Center's new briefs answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Our experts explain reform's impact on the states, the status of state legal challenges, and the new law's effects on particular groups of consumers. Read more

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Reducing Poverty and Economic Distress after ARRA


In a new series of briefs, researchers from the Urban Institute and Georgetown University say carefully targeted federal expenditures are needed to mitigate high unemployment over the next three to five years. Left unchecked, high levels of joblessness could do long-term damage to children and youth, cut into state funding for education and social services, and hamper long-run U.S. economic prospects. Read the latest papers presented at a recent post-ARRA forum hosted by the Urban Institute and Georgetown University.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR THE EXPERTS

Erwin De LeonErwin de Leon answers five questions about moving beyond gross domestic product (GDP) as a country’s sole measure of prosperity. In "The State of Society: Measuring Economic Success and Human Well-Being," de Leon and coauthor Elizabeth T. Boris identified 14 categories of indicators that together provide a more accurate and complete picture of how a society and its economy are faring.
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MOST-REQUESTED PUBLICATIONS (last 30 days)

EVENTS

Preserving Public Housing: Issues and Options
Session III: Financing Public Housing Preservation
July 28, 2010

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IN THE NEWS

"On average, we found, high school students taught by Teach for America corps members did significantly better on state-required tests than peers taught by far more experienced teachers, especially in science and math."
—Jane Hannaway in the New York Times, July 16

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URBAN INSTITUTE PRESS

Growing Up Hispanic bookGrowing Up Hispanic: Health and Development of Children of Immigrants

Nancy S. Landale, Susan McHale, and Alan Booth


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FACTS of RECORD

$100
 bil

the anticipated rise of Social Security costs over the next six years