2026 Benefits Cliffs Research Convening
The Atlanta Fed, in partnership with Social Finance, is hosting a Benefit Cliffs Research Convening in February 2026 to address how benefit cliffs affect the economic mobility and financial stability of workers.
Conference Details
Date: February 12, 2026
Location: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
1000 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
The Atlanta Fed, in partnership with Social Finance, is hosting a Benefit Cliffs Research Convening in February 2026 to address how benefit cliffs affect the economic mobility and financial stability of workers. The event will bring together researchers, evaluators, practitioners, and philanthropists to share current findings, identify research gaps, and develop future research strategy.
Research panels will present new evidence on benefit cliff mitigation strategies, while practitioner panels will discuss implementation and evaluation. Breakout sessions will identify evidence gaps and shape a future research agenda.
This convening underscored how benefit cliffs continue to limit families' economic mobility and influence major employment decisions. Presenters shared new evidence that cliffs discourage work and savings, vary substantially across states, and trigger measurable macroeconomic costs.
- Research shows benefit cliffs cause economy-wide output and welfare costs by discouraging workers from accepting raises, working additional hours, or pursuing career advancement.
- State policymakers need clearer evidence on how workers make decisions when facing benefit cliffs and more flexible policy options to reduce benefit cliffs.
- Pilots in states like Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Louisiana suggest that coaching plus targeted financial supports can help families navigate cliffs.
Participants emphasized grounding research in lived experience, improving communication with employers, and exploring long-term and intergenerational effects.
Read the full event recap.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| Thursday, February 12 | |
| 8:00 a.m. | Breakfast and networking |
| 8:15 | Welcome and introductions |
| 9:00 |
Landscape Overview State and community practitioners will offer their perspective on what research questions are most important and provide an overview of community and state efforts [Presentation] |
| 9:45 | Panel 1 – Advances in Benefit Cliffs Research Panelists will discuss current and proposed research efforts to understand the effects of benefits cliffs
|
| 11:00 | Break |
| 11:15 | Panel 2 – Perspectives on Benefits Cliff Mitigation Programs Panelists will discuss research on benefits cliffs mitigation pilots
|
| 12:15 p.m. | Networking lunch |
| Small Group State of Research Discussion Convening participants will break into small groups for discussion on building a benefits cliffs research agenda
|
|
| 1:45 | Break |
| 2:00 | Discussion on Gaps and Priorities Synthesis of conclusions from the day's discussions & identifying shared priorities for future research
|
| 2:45 | Discussion on Next Steps |