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Full-Text Articles in Social Work

Start Lifelong Asset Building With Universal And Progressive Child Development Accounts, Jin Huang, Margaret S. Sherraden, Margaret M. Clancy, Michael Sherraden, Trina R. Shanks Mar 2017

Start Lifelong Asset Building With Universal And Progressive Child Development Accounts, Jin Huang, Margaret S. Sherraden, Margaret M. Clancy, Michael Sherraden, Trina R. Shanks

Center for Social Development Research

This policy action statement was developed by members of the networks engaged in the Grand Challenges to Build Financial Capability and Assets for All and to Reduce Extreme Economic Inequality. The Grand Challenges initiative’s policy action statements present proposals emerging from Social Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in collaboration with theAmerican Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading the Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress through a national agenda powered by science.


Reverse Civic And Legal Exclusions For Persons With Criminal Charges And Convictions, Carrie Pettus-Davis, Matthew W. Epperson, Annie Grier Mar 2017

Reverse Civic And Legal Exclusions For Persons With Criminal Charges And Convictions, Carrie Pettus-Davis, Matthew W. Epperson, Annie Grier

Center for Social Development Research

This policy action statement was developed by members of the network engaged in the Grand Challenge to Promote Smart Decarceration. The Grand Challenges initiative’s policy action statements present proposals emerging from Social Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development at Washington University in collaboration with theAmerican Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading the Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress through a national agenda powered by science.


Assessing Retirement Needs And Interest In Myra: Findings From The Refund To Savings Initiative, Stephen P. Roll, Jane E. Oliphant, Dana C. Perantie, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Genevieve Davison Mar 2017

Assessing Retirement Needs And Interest In Myra: Findings From The Refund To Savings Initiative, Stephen P. Roll, Jane E. Oliphant, Dana C. Perantie, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Genevieve Davison

Center for Social Development Research

As part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s ongoing effort to promote the myRA starter retirement account, we used the Refund to Savings Initiative’s Household Financial Survey to assess low- to moderate-income tax filers’ retirement needs, attitudes towards retirement, and interest in a myRA-type account. We also tested different messaging approaches for promoting myRA. The report found that 32% of survey respondents did not own a retirement account and that lack of money and lack of access to an employer-based account were major impediments to retirement account ownership. The report also found that only 10% to 15% of respondents …


Coping With A Crisis: Financial Resources Available To Low- And Moderate-Income Households In Emergencies, Dana C. Perantie, Stephen P. Roll, Jane E. Oliphant, Shenyang Guo, Michal Grinstein-Weiss Feb 2017

Coping With A Crisis: Financial Resources Available To Low- And Moderate-Income Households In Emergencies, Dana C. Perantie, Stephen P. Roll, Jane E. Oliphant, Shenyang Guo, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Center for Social Development Research

Using data from tax records and a longitudinal survey, this brief investigates the choices low- and moderate-income households make about their tax withholding and their preferences for withholding. The relationship between withholding preferences and the use of the tax refund, measures of material hardship, and the use of alternative financial services is also explored. We find that almost half of all survey respondents preferred to overwithhold their income each year in order to get a larger tax refund. Yet despite preferring to take home less income during the year, these households experienced higher levels of material hardship than those who …


Do Savings And Assets Reduce Need-Based Aid For Dependent Students?, Margaret M. Clancy, Sondra G. Beverly Feb 2017

Do Savings And Assets Reduce Need-Based Aid For Dependent Students?, Margaret M. Clancy, Sondra G. Beverly

Center for Social Development Research

Federal programs such as Pell Grants provide financial aid for college according to need. Although the federal government is the principal source of need-based student aid, almost all states offer assistance. Rules governing student aid designate income as the primary indicator of ability to pay but assets are also considered. This policy brief documents the impact of assets on need-based aid for dependent students under current rules and formulas. The main observation is that savings and assets do not affect need-based aid for most dependent students. When assets count toward the EFC, savings held in 529 plan accounts have less …


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Achieve Equal Opportunity And Justice, Ruth G. Mcroy, Yolanda C. Padilla, Rocío Calvo, Jeremy T. Goldbach, Martell L. Teasley, Hortensia Amaro, Marilyn Armour, Manuel Cano, Sandra E. Crewe, Westy Egmont, Victor J. Figuero, Rowena Fong, Cynthia G. S. Franklin, Ruby M. Gourdine, John L. Jackson Jr., Mit Joyner, Michael S. Kelly, James E. Lubben, Larry Ortiz, Macheo Payne, Robert Rosales, William A. Vega, Michael D. Walter, Mary C. Waters Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Achieve Equal Opportunity And Justice, Ruth G. Mcroy, Yolanda C. Padilla, Rocío Calvo, Jeremy T. Goldbach, Martell L. Teasley, Hortensia Amaro, Marilyn Armour, Manuel Cano, Sandra E. Crewe, Westy Egmont, Victor J. Figuero, Rowena Fong, Cynthia G. S. Franklin, Ruby M. Gourdine, John L. Jackson Jr., Mit Joyner, Michael S. Kelly, James E. Lubben, Larry Ortiz, Macheo Payne, Robert Rosales, William A. Vega, Michael D. Walter, Mary C. Waters

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Promote Smart Decarceration, Matthew W. Epperson, Carrie Pettus-Davis Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Promote Smart Decarceration, Matthew W. Epperson, Carrie Pettus-Davis

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Reduce Extreme Economic Inequality, William Elliott Iii, Julia R. Henly, Susan J. Lambert, Laura Lein, Jennifer L. Romich, Trina R. Shanks, Michael Sherraden Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Reduce Extreme Economic Inequality, William Elliott Iii, Julia R. Henly, Susan J. Lambert, Laura Lein, Jennifer L. Romich, Trina R. Shanks, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Build Financial Capability And Assets For All, Jin Huang, Margaret S. Sherraden, Margaret M. Clancy, Michael Sherraden, Julie Birkenmaier, Mathieu R. Despard, Jodi J. Frey, Christine Callahan, David Rothwell Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Build Financial Capability And Assets For All, Jin Huang, Margaret S. Sherraden, Margaret M. Clancy, Michael Sherraden, Julie Birkenmaier, Mathieu R. Despard, Jodi J. Frey, Christine Callahan, David Rothwell

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Close The Health Gap, Michael S. Spencer, Karina L. Walters, John D. Clapp Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Close The Health Gap, Michael S. Spencer, Karina L. Walters, John D. Clapp

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Create Social Responses To A Changing Environment, Susan P. Kemp, Lisa Reyes Mason, Lawrence A. Palinkas, Samantha Teixeira Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Create Social Responses To A Changing Environment, Susan P. Kemp, Lisa Reyes Mason, Lawrence A. Palinkas, Samantha Teixeira

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Advance Long And Productive Lives, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Ernest Gonzales, Christina Matz-Costa Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Advance Long And Productive Lives, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Ernest Gonzales, Christina Matz-Costa

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To End Homelessness, Deborah K. Padgett, Benjamin F. Henwood, Dennis P. Culhane Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To End Homelessness, Deborah K. Padgett, Benjamin F. Henwood, Dennis P. Culhane

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Eradicate Social Isolation, Suzanne Brown, E. A. Casey, Sandra E. Crewe, Melanie Gironda, Carrie Johnson, James Lubben, Michelle Munson, Erika Sabbath, Elizabeth Tracy Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Eradicate Social Isolation, Suzanne Brown, E. A. Casey, Sandra E. Crewe, Melanie Gironda, Carrie Johnson, James Lubben, Michelle Munson, Erika Sabbath, Elizabeth Tracy

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Harness Technology For Social Good, Stephanie Cosner Berzin, Claudia J. Coulton, Robert Goerge, Laurel Hitchcock, Emily Putnam-Hornstein, Melanie Sage, Jonathan Singer Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Harness Technology For Social Good, Stephanie Cosner Berzin, Claudia J. Coulton, Robert Goerge, Laurel Hitchcock, Emily Putnam-Hornstein, Melanie Sage, Jonathan Singer

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Stop Family Violence, Shanti J. Kulkarni, Richard P. Barth, Jill T. Messing Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Stop Family Violence, Shanti J. Kulkarni, Richard P. Barth, Jill T. Messing

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Ensure Healthy Development For All Youth, J.David Hawkins, Jeffery M. Jenson, Jordan Devylder, Richard F. Catalano, Gilbert J. Botvin, Mark Fraser, Kimberly A. Bender, Valerie A. Shapiro, Brian Bumbarger Jan 2017

Policy Recommendations For Meeting The Grand Challenge To Ensure Healthy Development For All Youth, J.David Hawkins, Jeffery M. Jenson, Jordan Devylder, Richard F. Catalano, Gilbert J. Botvin, Mark Fraser, Kimberly A. Bender, Valerie A. Shapiro, Brian Bumbarger

Center for Social Development Research

This brief was created forSocial Innovation for America’s Renewal, a policy conference organized by the Center for Social Development in collaboration with the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, which is leading theGrand Challenges for Social Work initiative to champion social progress. The conference site includes links to speeches, presentations, and a full list of the policy briefs.


Home Delinquency Rates Are Lower Among Aca Marketplace Households: Evidence From A Natural Experiment, Emily A. Gallagher, Radhakrishnan Gopalon, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Stephen P. Roll, Genevieve Davison Dec 2016

Home Delinquency Rates Are Lower Among Aca Marketplace Households: Evidence From A Natural Experiment, Emily A. Gallagher, Radhakrishnan Gopalon, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Stephen P. Roll, Genevieve Davison

Center for Social Development Research

This brief uses administrative income tax data coupled with survey responses from roughly 5,000 households living near the poverty line to estimate how access to the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance Marketplaces have affected households’ experiences of extreme illiquidity, which is measured by delinquencies on home payments. To estimate this relationship, we exploit a natural experiment underway in states that did not expand Medicaid and created by the eligibility rules for Marketplace subsidies. Results suggest that insured households living near the poverty line are better able to make timely rent and mortgage payments compared with similar, uninsured households. Given housing …


International Child Development Accounts, Michael Sherraden, Li-Chen Cheng, Fred M. Ssewamala, Youngmi Kim, Vernon Loke, Li Zou, Gina Chowa, David Ansong, Lissa Johnson, Yung Soo Lee, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Margaret M. Clancy, Jin Huang, Sondra G. Beverly, Yunju Nam, Chang-Keun Han Oct 2016

International Child Development Accounts, Michael Sherraden, Li-Chen Cheng, Fred M. Ssewamala, Youngmi Kim, Vernon Loke, Li Zou, Gina Chowa, David Ansong, Lissa Johnson, Yung Soo Lee, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Margaret M. Clancy, Jin Huang, Sondra G. Beverly, Yunju Nam, Chang-Keun Han

Center for Social Development Research

This Working Paper has been submitted for inclusion in the new online edition of theEncyclopedia of Social Work, which is published by Oxford University Press. The paper discusses efforts to implement Child Development Accounts in the United States and numerous other countries. Child Development Accounts (CDAs) are subsidized savings or investment accounts to help people accumulate assets for developmental purposes and life course needs. They are envisioned as universal (everyone participates), progressive (greater subsidies for the poor), and potentially lifelong national policy. These features distinguish CDAs from most existing asset-building policies and programs around the world, which are typically regressive, …


Asset Building: Toward Inclusive Policy, Michael Sherraden, Lissa Johnson, Margaret Clancy, Sondra G. Beverly, Margaret S. Sherraden, Mark Schreiner, William Elliott Iii, Trina Shanks William, Deborah Adams, Jami C. Curley, Jin Huang, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Yunju Nam, Min Zhan, Chang-Kuen Han Oct 2016

Asset Building: Toward Inclusive Policy, Michael Sherraden, Lissa Johnson, Margaret Clancy, Sondra G. Beverly, Margaret S. Sherraden, Mark Schreiner, William Elliott Iii, Trina Shanks William, Deborah Adams, Jami C. Curley, Jin Huang, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Yunju Nam, Min Zhan, Chang-Kuen Han

Center for Social Development Research

This Working Paper has been submitted for inclusion in theEncyclopedia of Social Work's new online edition, which is published by Oxford University Press. Since 1991, a new policy discussion has arisen in the United States and other countries, focusing on building assets as a complement to traditional social policy based on income. In fact, asset-based policy already existed (and still exists) in the United States, with large public subsidies. But the policy is regressive, benefiting the rich far more than the poor. The goal should be a universal, progressive, and lifelong asset-based policy. One promising pathway may be Child Development …


Financial Anxiety In Low- And Moderate-Income Households: Findings From The Household Financial Survey, Stephen P. Roll, Samuel H. Taylor, Michal Grinstein-Weiss Oct 2016

Financial Anxiety In Low- And Moderate-Income Households: Findings From The Household Financial Survey, Stephen P. Roll, Samuel H. Taylor, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Center for Social Development Research

Despite significant gains in the U.S. economy following the Great Recession, finances remain a common source of stress for many American households. In 2016, 52% of U.S. workers reported that their financial position made them stressed, and research reveals that stress and anxiety associated with finances are particularly common among low-income Americans. In this brief, we explore the topic of financial anxiety, particularly its relationship to demographic and financial characteristics, measures of hardship, and financial behaviors. We find that financial anxiety is strongly linked to the overall levels of debt and assets held by low-income households, as well as their …


From Mass Incarceration To Effective And Sustainable Decarceration: Conference Report, Carrie Pettus-Davis, Matthew W. Epperson Sep 2016

From Mass Incarceration To Effective And Sustainable Decarceration: Conference Report, Carrie Pettus-Davis, Matthew W. Epperson

Center for Social Development Research

All signs indicate that the United States is leaving an era of mass incarceration and is on the cusp of an era of decarceration. However, the challenge of decarceration is far greater than simply reducing the use of incarceration; it involves building an array of policy and practice innovations that replace incarceration. We have a unique opportunity to rethink, redefine, and reimagine the criminal justice system and shape the emerging decarceration movement. The challenge of decarceration is far greater than simply reducing the use of incarceration; it involves building an array of policy and practice innovations that replace incarceration. To …


Leveraging Tax Time To Build Financial Capability: Research Evidence And Policy Directions, Meredith Covington, Jane E. Oliphant, Michal Grinstein-Weiss Aug 2016

Leveraging Tax Time To Build Financial Capability: Research Evidence And Policy Directions, Meredith Covington, Jane E. Oliphant, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Center for Social Development Research

Over the past decade, a variety of initiatives have been implemented in the United States to facilitate saving and build financial security at tax time, including national experiments, pilot programs, and federal and state policies. Much progress has been made in encouraging tax filers, especially low- to moderate-income (LMI) tax filers, to save a portion of their refund. To expand upon the “golden moment” of saving at tax time, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers must now seek ways in which the lump sum of saving at tax time can serve to render tax filers capable of confidently managing their financial lives. …


The Role Of Health Insurance In The Financial Lives Of Low- And Moderate-Income Households, Mathieu R. Despard, Dana C. Perantie, Jane E. Oliphant, Stephen P. Roll, Michal Grinstein-Weiss Aug 2016

The Role Of Health Insurance In The Financial Lives Of Low- And Moderate-Income Households, Mathieu R. Despard, Dana C. Perantie, Jane E. Oliphant, Stephen P. Roll, Michal Grinstein-Weiss

Center for Social Development Research

Health insurance is an important resource for enabling access to and use of medical care, and is associated with reduced risk for mortality and poor health outcomes. Health insurance also protects households from incurring major medical expenses and unmanageable levels of medical debt. About a quarter of a sample of low- and moderate-income (LMI) tax filers have no health insurance, compared to 10% of all individuals in the United States. As of 2014, the proportion of filers without insurance was 11 percentage points higher in states that had not expanded Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) than it was …


Financial Inclusion In China: Use Of Credit, Zibei Chen, Minchao Jin Jul 2016

Financial Inclusion In China: Use Of Credit, Zibei Chen, Minchao Jin

Center for Social Development Research

Limited access to credit can cause financial vulnerability for a household and economic loss for a country. Previous studies have shown that only small portions of populations in developing countries use formal credit, but few studies have focused on Chinese populations. Analyzing data from the 2011 China Household Financial Survey, this study explored Chinese households’ credit use. Over half of the sample (53.21%) reported using credit, and only 19.77% of the sample used formal credit. Use of formal credit was associated with the socioeconomic characteristics of household heads (e.g., employment and education) and of households (e.g., income and net worth). …


Financial Outcomes In Seed For Oklahoma Kids, Margaret M. Clancy, Sondra G. Beverly, Michael Sherraden Jun 2016

Financial Outcomes In Seed For Oklahoma Kids, Margaret M. Clancy, Sondra G. Beverly, Michael Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

The SEED for Oklahoma Kids (SEED OK) experiment is a large-scale policy test of universal, automatic, and progressive Child Development Accounts (CDAs). This fact sheet highlights selected SEED OK financial outcomes measured between 2007 and 2014. Because of SEED OK’s automatic account opening and initial deposits, the CDA has especially large impacts on OK 529 savings among disadvantaged children. Advantaged children are more likely than disadvantaged children to have individual savings in OK 529 accounts, and average individual savings are higher for advantaged children. But, the CDA increases the likelihood that disadvantaged children have OK 529 accounts opened by their …


Tax Abatement In Saint Louis: Reforms Could Foster Equitable Development, Claire Dewind, Jennifer Dickey, Ellen O'Neill, Molly W. Metzger Jun 2016

Tax Abatement In Saint Louis: Reforms Could Foster Equitable Development, Claire Dewind, Jennifer Dickey, Ellen O'Neill, Molly W. Metzger

Center for Social Development Research

Across the United States, municipal governments use tax abatement in various ways to incentivize development and revitalize urban areas. In Saint Louis, historical housing trends related to deindustrialization, redlining, and “white flight” led to the City’s depopulation, creating the current need to incentivize development. However, in certain neighborhoods, development now occurs without tax abatement, and some homeowners and developers receive tax abatement despite being able to afford paying taxes. This points to a need to understand where and when tax abatement is necessary, and whether it is being used effectively. In this brief, we ask the following questions: (1) Does …


Nudging Youth To Develop Savings Habits: Experimental Evidence Using Sms Messages, Katherine Rodríguez, Juan E. Saavedra May 2016

Nudging Youth To Develop Savings Habits: Experimental Evidence Using Sms Messages, Katherine Rodríguez, Juan E. Saavedra

Center for Social Development Research

In this working paper, we report on a field experiment articulating financial information via cellphone text messages and financial decisions among low-income youth in Colombia. For twelve months, youth accountholders are randomly assigned to receive either: (a) monthly financial education messages, (b) monthly savings reminders, (c) semimonthly reminders, or (d) control. After 12 months, account balances in monthly and semimonthly reminders groups increase by 28% and 43%, respectively, relative to controls. Financial education messages do not increase balances. Over two thirds of balance increases in reminder groups are net savings. Savings effects of reminders last eight months after youth stop …


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 …