The US savings rate decreased from 10.8 percent in 1984 to 0 percent in 2005, according to the Urban Institute. Additionally, the bottom quarter of the population by income has a negative net worth. This article reviews strategies to boost the…

This article, through the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, reviews the impact of state run Earned Income Tax Credit programs. Currently, the federal EITC lifts more than 4 million people out of poverty a year, and a state EITC can also…

This paper considers four programs--Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), food stamps, child care subsidies, and the earned income tax credit (EITC)--that form the core work support system in the United States. It…

Asset building can be an important anti-poverty tool for many families as tangible assets can be passed down from generation to generation and afford families greater economic stability than income alone. Savings accounts are key to increasing…

The Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire conducted this study and found that predatory mortgage lending is prevalent in rural areas. Additionally, authors conclude that rural minorities are more likely to take out higher-cost…

Authored by Amy Brown. This series of reports, as part of the Aspen Institute's Economic Opportunities Program and funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, explore various lessons learned from innovative approaches to EITC campaigns. The series…

This series of reports, as part of the Aspen Institute's Economic Opportunities Program and funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, explore various lessons learned from innovative approaches to EITC campaigns across the country. The series…

This resource provides information on how community organizations can help low-income individuals build assets. Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are matched saving accounts that can be used for the purchase of a home, small business start-…

Through the Urban Institute, this article reviews information about the Child Tax Credit, which is the largest federal cash assistance program for children. The tax credit provides over $46 billion in subsidies to families with children every…

Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) have been a proven mechanism for supporting low-income families on a path to self-sufficiency by promoting asset-building. Asset-building programs can use a variety of strategies and tools to help create…