The Income & Benefits Policy Center has several ongoing projects examining how social welfare and tax policy affect the economic well-being of families. The Center’s research also focuses on opportunities and challenges for older adults.

Social Welfare
The Income & Benefits Policy Center studies the impact of safety-net programs designed to protect low-income and other vulnerable people. Projects include: 

• Work Supports studies efforts to help hard-to-employ individuals
• Welfare Reform explores policies' effects on poor families with children
• Disability and Employment describes obstacles to work
• Food Security focuses on Food Stamps and related programs
• Child Support discusses payments from nonresident parents
• Welfare Rules Database tracks state TANF programs
• TRIM3 estimates eligibility and participation in government benefit programs

Older Adults and Retirement Policy

The Center studies older adults' economic security and potential reforms in Social Security and retirement income systems. Research also focuses on older Americans' engagement in volunteering and caregiving and the factors affecting decisions to continue working or to retire. Projects include:

• Work at Older Ages outlines benefits and impediments to delaying retirement
• Economic Security discusses risks and resources for older adults
• Social Security Reform forecasts long-term effects of policy proposals
• Perspectives on Productive Aging explores contributions of engaged older adults
• Retirement Policy by the Numbers provides snapshots of key policy issues on retirement and older adults

Tax Policy

The Tax Policy Center, a joint project of the Urban Institute and the Brooking Institution, was created to fill the growing need to clarify and analyze the nation’s tax policy choices. Using the TPC Microsimulation Model, the Center develops estimates of the effects of tax proposals and bills on revenue and distribution. In addition, the Tax Facts database contains information on individual and corporate taxes, low-income and high-income taxpayers, state tax revenues, tax systems in other countries, and a variety of other topics.