What’s a benefits cliff?
A benefits cliff (cliff effect) is when someone earns a dollar or two more an hour, but as a result, loses public benefits that were worth much more than the income increase. Workers are earning more to make net less.
We’re changing things for workers receiving public benefits that are afraid of this financial catastrophe affecting them.
The world today
No one knows if they will hit a benefits cliff, until after it has already happened. Many public benefits recipients make financially conservative decisions out of fear of hitting a benefits cliff.
The future
Leap Fund creates tools, education, and data for public benefit, direct service, employment, & policy sectors across the country. We provide on-the-ground solutions to tackle benefits cliffs now, while we push for policy change to eradicate them in the future.
Leap Fund has a full offering of tools and resources that inform conversations, provide transparency, and expose benefits cliffs, empowering informed decision-making.
We offer a benefits cliff calculator & training for coaches
Our calculator predicts cliffs by showing how a change in income or household size will impact someone’s benefits and net income, and our training tools up coaches to navigate these nuanced conversations.
1 in 3
clients discovered that they will hit a benefits cliff through Leap Fund’s tool in 2023
55%
Of clients who knew about benefit cliffs reported that they had made decisions out of fear of hitting one in 2023
Feedback from our Partners
“Leap Fund’s Program provided new ways to discuss an issue that has been important in our client coaching with clearly understandable results and actionable next steps.”
“Leap Fund helped participants make an informed financial decision...and it also gave participants a base to negotiate future hourly wages.”
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