The Benefits Cliff is a barrier to building wealth.

Families who receive food, health insurance, and child care support from public benefit programs face a challenge as they work toward better-paying jobs: the Benefits Cliff.

Most public benefit programs have a hard cut-off point. If a family starts earning more, they may suddenly become ineligible to receive one or more of the benefit programs that have been supporting their family. This hard cut-off (instead of a gradual decrease in benefits as a family gains income) means that families may have LESS money to put toward food, health, and education if they secure higher-paying jobs.

What does the benefits cliff feel like for families working toward a more secure economic future? Hear families share their own experiences in this article from FedCommunities.

What does the Benefits Cliff feel like for a family living in Mecklenburg County, NC? Learn more in this report from the Benefits Cliff Community Lab.

The Benefits Cliff affects North Carolina Families.

Here's what you need to know about benefit cliffs, how they impact North Carolinians.

Learn more from NC organizations working to fight the benefits cliff:

• Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont and the Benefits Cliff Community Lab. Find information, action steps, advocacy opportunities, and more.

• NC Budget & Tax Center - Learn about the benefits cliff for child-care subsidies in North Carolina, and read policy recommendations.

• Learn about the Buncombe County Benefits Cliff from Just Economics and Forsyth Futures.

• Read about the Asset Building Coalition’s work on the Benefits Cliff.