Sam Bufe

Sam Bufe is a Statistical Data Analyst II at the Social Policy Institute, where his research focuses on financial security issues in low- and moderate-income households. In this role, he spends much of his time designing, administering, and analyzing responses to the Household Financial Survey, which is part of the Refund to Savings Initiative. Currently, he is working on papers that investigate the effects of tax-refund savings on participation in the gig economy, the impacts of financial shocks on financial well-being, and the results of an experiment that encouraged low-income tax filers to open and save tax refunds in starter retirement accounts. He received his bachelor’s degree in Economics and M.S. in Applied Economics from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI.

Away from work, he spends considerable time taking math classes. In his remaining free time, he enjoys cheering for the St. Louis Blues and Cardinals, drinking Quikshakes from QuikTrip, and telling strangers about the time his sixth-grade soccer team won the St. Louis City/County Championship.

Contact Sam Bufe at sambufe@wustl.edu about:

• Why people work in the gig economy
• Survey design and administration