The Benefit Cliffs Visual Map is a practical, participant-friendly planning tool designed to make income and benefit tradeoffs visible and understandable. Rather than relying solely on numbers or spreadsheets, this visual worksheet helps participants map current wages and benefits alongside projected income scenarios to see how total monthly income may shift as earnings increase. By plotting changes across categories such as Housing, SNAP, Utilities, Health Care, and Childcare, the tool supports informed decision-making while reducing fear and confusion. For more precise calculations, coaches and participants can also use online benefit cliff calculators such as the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s CLIFF tool and the modeling tools available at LeapFund.org to generate detailed projections.
How to Use This Tool: Begin by documenting the participant’s current wages and benefits to establish a baseline total monthly income. Then, explore one projected income increase at a time (#1, #2, #3, Goal), estimating how each benefit category might change. Use this map as a visual conversation aid—pausing to check emotional readiness and regulation as needed—rather than rushing toward decisions. Pair this worksheet with an online calculator for more detailed modeling, then return to the visual map to translate those numbers into a clear, big-picture view. Close by identifying what feels realistic, what questions remain, and what next step aligns with the participant’s goals and readiness.
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BCC-Visual-MapThe Prosperity Agenda provides these resources as the designated national administrator of Family-Centered Coaching.