Brookings: Topics - Cost of Living

Automatic : Changing the Way America Saves

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Automatic argues for a fresh approach to increase saving, simplify retirement planning, and help manage the risks associated with today's individual account environment.

Poverty Reduction Strategies for the Next Decade

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

September 29, 2008, 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM

On September 29, several prominent scholars and policy advocates outlined their key recommendations for improving the quality of life for people at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, including proposals to improve employment and earnings, strengthen families, enhance opportunities for children, and improve neighborhoods. Discussions of the proposals were followed by comments from policy experts.

Poverty and Income in 2007: A Look at the New Census Data and What the Numbers Mean

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

August 26, 2008, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

On August 26, the day the Census poverty report was released, the Brookings Center on Children and Families held its sixth annual briefing to discuss the new figures and their implications for families and policy-makers.

Supporting Young Children and Families: An Investment Strategy That Pays

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Julia Isaacs details the evidence supporting the long-term benefits of investment in early childhood education, along with prenatal care and greater access to health care for very young children in impoverished families. In a new Opportunity 08 paper, she proposes federal policies for the next President that will provide big returns.

Why the United States Needs an Improved Measure of Poverty

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Rebecca Blank testified before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the House Committee on Ways and Means on the need for an improved measure of poverty in the United States. She stated that our current poverty line is based on data more than 50 years old and our poverty count does not measure the actual resources that many families have available to them.

Protecting and Strengthening Retirement Savings

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Fully half of America’s working families lack any employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. Testifying before a Senate panel, J. Mark Iwry and David C. John called for a common strategy to preserve and expand retirement savings in a manner that transcends partisan differences, an approach that includes preserving employer-sponsored retirement plans and broadening participation and coverage options.

The Impact of the Mortgage Crisis on Children and Their Education

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In a new paper from Brookings and First Focus, Julia Issacs and Phillip Lovell show that nearly two million children will be directly impacted by the mortgage crisis. When forced from their homes, children’s education is disrupted, their peer relationships crumble, and the social networks that support them are fractured.

High Time for a Helping Hand for Strapped American Families

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Americans are gloomy about the economy these days. Despite widespread economic malaise, writes Elisabeth Jacobs, little has been done to strengthen the safety net for American families in financial duress. And though some presidential candidates have begun to call for action, evidence suggests that the American people need action now.

Affordable Housing, Rental Housing and Home Ownership

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:48:21 GMT

Despite the fact that one-third of all Americans live in rental housing, rental policy often takes a back seat to home-ownership policy in Washington. To ensure that low- and moderate-income Americans can afford rental housing, Bruce Katz says that the next president needs to help supplement incomes, empower local governments to expand the supply of affordable housing and deal with the subprime mortgage crisis.

Poverty, Programs, and Prices: How Adjusting for Costs of Living Would Affect Federal Benefit Eligibility

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The authors of this report urge researchers and policymakers to closely examine how regional differences in the cost of living impact the adequacy of programs to boost incomes and reduce poverty.

Commuting to Opportunity: The Working Poor and Commuting in the United States

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A transportation survey conducted to better understand how commuting enhances both physical and economic mobility for a worker, this survey also assesses a workers' ability to find and retain employment.

The Evolution of Household Income Volatility

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) reveals that household income has become noticeably more volatile during the past thirty years. Senior Fellow Doug Elmendorf with Karen Dynan and Daniel Sichel from the Federal Reserve Board estimate that the standard deviation of percent changes in household income rose one-fourth between the early 1970s and early 2000s.

The Middle-Class Squeeze

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Expert Gregg Easterbrook and Harvard Law School's Elizabeth Warren discuss the squeeze on the American middle class.

Housing Bust Shatters State Migration Patterns

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

William Frey's analysis of the new Census Bureau annual estimates of state population changes for 2006-7 shows that the sinking housing market has yanked back high-flying states like Nevada and Arizona. An even bigger tug in growth occurred in Florida, another housing-boom driven state. With credit harder to get and the disappearance of housing deals, the allure of these states appears to have dimmed.

Making Markets an Asset for the Poor

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Matt Fellowes examines the higher prices lower-income workers pay for basic necessities--home loans, groceries, and financial services--and outlines a combination of initiatives that can bring down business costs.

The Evolution of Household Income Volatility

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Using data from the PSID, we find that household income has become noticeably more volatile during the past thirty years. We estimate that the standard deviation of percent changes in household income rose one-fourth between the early 1970s and early 2000s.

Poor Should Get More for Their Money

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Increasing in the minimum wage has to be paired with a national campaign to lower the higher prices being paid by the poor today.

The High Price of Being Poor

Sun, 23 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Why are groceries, mortgages and banking more expensive in one of California's poorest cities?

From Poverty, Opportunity: Putting the Market to Work for Lower Income Families

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT

The Metropolitan Market for Alternative Short-Term Loans

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

In this presentation at the annual conference of the Consumer Federation of America, Matt Fellowes discussed the growing number of alternative short-term loan providers in metropolitan areas, particularly in suburban, low-poverty areas. Matt also discussed the numerous public policy and market implications of that growth.

Using the EITC to Make Housing More Affordable

Tue, 19 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT

In this presentation delivered at the National Council of La Raza 2005 Annual Conference, Alan Berube discusses the role that income supplements like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) play in making housing more affordable for lower-income Latino families. He also highlights potential strategies for enhancing its capacity to reduce the housing cost burdens that these families face in many metropolitan areas.

New Tax Credit Research Offers Information for City Leaders

Mon, 06 Jun 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Continued support for low-income taxpayer outreach and volunteer tax preparation can spread important messages about the alternatives to high-price, low-value commercial tax products.

The Price Is Wrong: Getting the Market Right for Working Families in Philadelphia

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 00:00:00 GMT

This report delves into the higher prices for everyday goods paid by working families, revealing what causes those costs, and recommending a number of policy approaches--such as reducing risks to business, giving consumers more marketplace information

The Price of Paying Taxes: How Tax Preparation and Refund Loan Fees Erode the Benefits of the EITC

Wed, 01 May 2002 00:00:00 GMT

This new report details, for the first time, how the use of tax preparation services and "fast cash" refund loans is concentrated among working poor families and neighborhoods