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Center for Social Development Research

College debt

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Full-Text Articles in Social Work

Racial Disparities In Student Debt: Evidence From The Refund To Savings Initiative, Samuel H. Taylor, Dana C. Perantie, Nava Kantor, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Shenyang Guo, Ramesh Raghavan May 2016

Racial Disparities In Student Debt: Evidence From The Refund To Savings Initiative, Samuel H. Taylor, Dana C. Perantie, Nava Kantor, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Shenyang Guo, Ramesh Raghavan

Center for Social Development Research

This brief provides evidence that low- and moderate-income (LMI) Black households accumulate significantly more debt in pursuit of a higher education than do LMI White students, even after using rigorous methods to account for race- and debt-related confounders. Using data from the Refund to Savings experiment, the authors find that LMI Black households accrued $7,721 more in student loan debt than their White counterparts did. This finding is crucial in light of the financial vulnerability of this population both before and after college. That vulnerability potentially contributes to diminished returns and exacerbates racial disparities in educational outcomes and wealth accumulation. …


The Burden Of Student Debt: Findings From A Survey Of Low- And Moderate-Income Households, Mathieu R. Despard, Samuel H. Taylor, Dana C. Perantie, Michal Grinstein-Weiss May 2016

The Burden Of Student Debt: Findings From A Survey Of Low- And Moderate-Income Households, Mathieu R. Despard, Samuel H. Taylor, Dana C. Perantie, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Center for Social Development Research

Completing a college degree continues to offer a pathway for enjoying greater earnings. Yet tuition has risen sharply and state higher-education funding has declined in recent years, shifting the burden of paying for college to students and their families. As a result, most students (70%) depend on loans to help pay for college and student debt is now greater than credit card debt in the United States. Student debt is increasingly difficult to manage, as debt-to-income ratios, loan default rates, and delinquency rates are on the rise. This brief utilizes data from the 2014 Refund to Savings study to examine …


Characteristics And Hardships Associated With Bank Account Ownership Among Refund To Savings Participants, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Dana C. Perantie, Jane E. Oliphant, Anna Deruyter, Mathieu R. Despard Apr 2016

Characteristics And Hardships Associated With Bank Account Ownership Among Refund To Savings Participants, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Dana C. Perantie, Jane E. Oliphant, Anna Deruyter, Mathieu R. Despard

Center for Social Development Research

Having a bank account is one important way for households to securely accumulate savings, build credit, and earn interest on assets. Nationally, 7.7% of households are unbanked—lacking both a checking and a savings account. One proposed step toward financial inclusion is to encourage unbanked households to open accounts and deposit refunds into savings at tax time, when many low-income households receive the year’s largest lump sum of cash. This brief utilizes data from the 2013 Refund to Savings study to summarize differences between banked and unbanked households. The findings show that unbanked status is a marker for other financial disadvantages, …


Financial Capability And Asset Building In Social Work Education: “The Big Piece Missing?”, Margaret S. Sherraden, Julie Birkenmaier, Michael Rochelle, Gena G. Mcclendon Aug 2015

Financial Capability And Asset Building In Social Work Education: “The Big Piece Missing?”, Margaret S. Sherraden, Julie Birkenmaier, Michael Rochelle, Gena G. Mcclendon

Center for Social Development Research

Since the 1990s, social workers have renewed the profession’s early focus on improving the financial well-being of vulnerable families. Nonetheless, most social workers receive little training and education about how to help clients build stable and secure financial lives. This study uses in-depth interviews and pre- and post-surveys to examine the effects of a Financial Capability and Asset Building (FCAB) curriculum in six Minority Serving Institutions. In-depth interviews with 24 school administrators, FCAB instructors, and faculty colleagues suggest that faculty chose FCAB content based on course goals, content utility, and alignment with social work education standards. Furthermore, faculty reported gaining …


Does Unsecured Debt Decrease Savings? Evidence From The Refund To Savings Initiative, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Jane Oliphant, Blair D. Russell, Ray Boshara Mar 2015

Does Unsecured Debt Decrease Savings? Evidence From The Refund To Savings Initiative, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Jane Oliphant, Blair D. Russell, Ray Boshara

Center for Social Development Research

Does Unsecured Debt Decrease Savings? Evidence From the Refund to Savings Initiative


Education Loans And Wealth Building Among Young Adults, Min Zhan, Xiaoling Xiang Jun 2014

Education Loans And Wealth Building Among Young Adults, Min Zhan, Xiaoling Xiang

Center for Social Development Research

This study examines the association between education loans and postcollege wealth accumulation among young adults. Data come from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, and the analyses control for a number of student characteristics, college experiences, and parental income. Results from a treatment-effect model indicate that having education loans upon leaving college is negatively related to postcollege net worth, financial assets, nonfinancial assets, and value of primary housing. Furthermore, having education loans also has a negative impact on the value of net worth among Black young adults. The relationship between the amount of education loans and wealth accumulation is …


Does Outstanding Student Debt Reduce Asset Accumulation?, William Elliott, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Ilsung Nam Jan 2014

Does Outstanding Student Debt Reduce Asset Accumulation?, William Elliott, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Ilsung Nam

Center for Social Development Research

In this study, the authors use the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) to assess whether student loan debt is associated with total assets. They find that median 2009 assets for households with no outstanding student loan debt ($207,000) are higher than they are for households with outstanding student loan debt ($174,000). Multivariate statistics indicate that a household with a four-year college graduate, outstanding student loan debt, and median assets ($451,520) in 2007 had $136,73 (36%) less home equity in 2009 than a household with a similar household with no outstanding student loan debt. The main policy implication of this study …


An Event History Analysis Of Educational Loans And College Graduation: A Focus On Differences By Race And Ethnicity, Min Zhan, Xiaoling Xiang Dec 2013

An Event History Analysis Of Educational Loans And College Graduation: A Focus On Differences By Race And Ethnicity, Min Zhan, Xiaoling Xiang

Center for Social Development Research

This study examines the association between educational loans and college graduation rates, with a focus on differences by race and ethnicity. Data come from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97). Results from event history analyses that control for a number of student characteristics, college experiences, and financial resources indicate that educational loans are positively related to the rate of college graduation. Larger loan amounts tend to decrease the likelihood of college graduation. The relationship between educational loans and college graduation is stronger among minority (Black and Hispanic) students. Overall, there is little evidence that educational loans reduce racial …


Student Debt And Declining Retirement Savings, William Elliott, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Ilsung Nam Nov 2013

Student Debt And Declining Retirement Savings, William Elliott, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Ilsung Nam

Center for Social Development Research

In this study, the authors use the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) to determine whether student loan debt is associated with retirement savings. They find that the median 2009 retirement savings amount for households with no outstanding student loan debt ($55,000) is nearly twice as high as it is for households with outstanding student loan debt ($25,000). Further, multivariate statistics indicate that a household with a four-year college graduate, outstanding student loan debt, and median retirement savings ($80,983) in 2007 incurred a loss of 52% of those retirement savings in 2009 contrasted with household with a similar household with no …


Is Student Debt Compromising Homeownership As A Wealth-Building Tool?, William Elliott, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Ilsung Nam Nov 2013

Is Student Debt Compromising Homeownership As A Wealth-Building Tool?, William Elliott, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Ilsung Nam

Center for Social Development Research

In this study, the authors use 2007–2009 Survey of Consumer Finance longitudinal data to examine if having student loans affected home equity during the Great Recession. We find that median 2009 home equity ($90,000) for households with no outstanding student loan debt is twice as high as that of households with outstanding student loan debt ($45,000). Further, multivariate statistics reveal that a household with a college graduate, median 2007 home equity, and student loan debt had $54,334 (40%) less home equity in 2009 than a household with a college graduate, median home equity, and no college debt. The main policy …


The Impact Of Family Assets And Debt On College Graduation, Min Zhan, Deidre Lanesskog Oct 2013

The Impact Of Family Assets And Debt On College Graduation, Min Zhan, Deidre Lanesskog

Center for Social Development Research

This study examines the influence of family financial assets and debt, both measured during the time of youth’s college enrollment, on the chances of college graduation. Data come from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Results from analyses controlling for a number of student, parental, and institutional characteristics indicate that family assets are positively related to the chances of college graduation among White and Black students; family debt is negatively associated with the odds of college graduation among Black students, but neither family assets nor family debt is related to the chances of college graduation among Hispanic students. Overall, results …


Relationships Between College Savings And Enrollment, Graduation, And Student Loan Debt, William Elliott Iii, Hyun-A Song, Ilsung Nam Apr 2013

Relationships Between College Savings And Enrollment, Graduation, And Student Loan Debt, William Elliott Iii, Hyun-A Song, Ilsung Nam

Center for Social Development Research

Relationships Between College Savings and Enrollment, Graduation, and Student Loan Debt


Small-Dollar Children's Savings Accounts, Income, And College Outcomes, William Elliott, Hyun-A Song, Ilsung Nam Feb 2013

Small-Dollar Children's Savings Accounts, Income, And College Outcomes, William Elliott, Hyun-A Song, Ilsung Nam

Center for Social Development Research

In this paper, we examine the relationship between children’s small-dollar savings accounts and college enrollment and graduation by asking three important research questions: (a) are children with savings of their own more likely to attend or graduate from college, (b) does dosage (having no account; having basic savings only; or having savings designated for school of less than $1, $1 to $499, or $500 or more) matter, and (c) is designating savings for school more predictive than having basic savings alone? We use propensity score weighted data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) and its supplements to create …


Reducing Student Loan Debt Through Parents’ College Savings, William Elliott, Ilsung Nam Feb 2013

Reducing Student Loan Debt Through Parents’ College Savings, William Elliott, Ilsung Nam

Center for Social Development Research

One policy rationale for promoting Child Development Accounts (CDAs) is that they may help reduce college debt, but no research provides evidence of this. Research does suggest that high-dollar student loans ($10,000 or more) can reduce the probability that lower income students in particular persist in and graduate from college. In this study, we find evidence to suggest that parents’ college savings may reduce the probability that students accrue high-dollar student loan debt across all income levels with the exception of high-income students. Based on this and evidence from separate research on small-dollar children’s savings accounts, we suggest that it …