I was drawn to Urban because of its rich history of rigorously examining social problems and policy options using innovative methods like distributional models and audit studies. Our distributional analyses attempt to answer ‘what if?’ questions about social programs, including Medicare and Social Security. Our models can help reveal the cumulative effects that differences in early-life opportunities have in shaping treatment in later life. If we can better understand how advantages and disadvantages compound, we may be able to develop stronger policies.