Tag: 2019

Poverty and Race: The Other St. Louis, with Wes Moore

November 10, 2018: 10:15 AM-11:45 AM McKinley – Mezz Level (Marriott Wardman Park) Panel Chairs:  Nisha Patel, Robin HoodDiscussants:  Jeremie Greer, Prosperity Now and David Newville, Prosperity Now

Financial Well-being: Measuring Financial Perceptions and Experiences in Low- and Moderate- Income Households (Links to an external site)

Abstract As the gig economy plays an increasingly important role in the labor market, there is a need to understand the economic factors that influence participation in this sector. In this paper, we investigate how saving the federal tax refund affects gig economy participation for low-income online tax filers in the six months following tax […]

Research Wire (Links to an external site)

Bufe, S., Roll, S. P., Kondratjeva, O., Hardy, B., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2019). Does Savings Affect Participation in the Gig Economy? Evidence from a Tax Refund Field Experiment (SPI Working Paper 19-1). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Social Policy Institute.

Financially Stressed Families Save More with Medicaid, Study Shows

As the gig economy plays an increasingly important role in the labor market, there is a need to understand the economic factors that influence participation in this sector. In this paper, we investigate how saving the federal tax refund affects gig economy participation for low-income online tax filers in the six months following tax filing. […]

The Impact of Gig-Economy on Financial Hardship among Low-Income Families” Kaitlin Daniels, Olin Business School at Washington University

As the gig economy plays an increasingly important role in the labor market, there is a need to understand the economic factors that influence participation in this sector. In this paper, we investigate how saving the federal tax refund affects gig economy participation for low-income online tax filers in the six months following tax filing. […]

Our Nonprofit Sector Is at Risk. Does it Matter?

Date: November 18, 2019 | 5:30 Reception | 6:00 Lecture Location: Clark-Fox Forum, Hillman Hall, Washington University in St. Louis Congress has slashed the budget for the IRS’s oversight of nonprofit organizations. In the wake of the cuts, Wall Street is increasingly finding ways to profit from nonprofits. What does this mean for the social sector […]

Disparate Impacts: Balancing the Need for Safe Schools With Racial Equity in Discipline

Policy responses to gun violence within K-12 school systems have not stopped the increasing frequency of their occurrence, but have instead increased racial and ethnic disparities in multiple forms of discipline. The crisis prevention policies that follow school shootings tend to exacerbate racial and ethnic discipline disparities (a) within schools as practitioners enact policies with […]

Call for Proposals for Seed Grant Program

The new Social Policy Institute at Washington University and the McDonnell Academy are seeking proposals for collaboration between Washington University researchers and researchers at international universities. The Social Policy Institute’s focus on cross-sector collaboration and international research is a natural complement to the McDonnell Academy’s emphasis on incubating domestic and international research talent and strengthening […]

Credit-building services for employees: An assessment of engagement and outcomes

This is one research brief in a series of five completed through the Employee Financial Wellness Programs Project. In this study, we examine administrative data for national nonprofit Working Credit’s employee benefit, which combines credit building education, one-on-one counseling, and access to financial products to help workers establish good credit. Working Credit offers credit-building services […]

Workplace credit-building counseling at a Midwest employer: An assessment of take-up, engagement, and outcomes

This is one research brief in a series of five completed through the Employee Financial Wellness Programs Project. In this study, we focus on a workplace credit-building counseling program. This service is offered by a non-profit service provider that combines credit-building education, one-on-one counseling, and access to financial products to help low-income workers establish good […]

Financial counseling for low- and moderate-income home health care employees: An assessment of take-up, engagement, and outcomes

This is one research brief in a series of five completed through the Employee Financial Wellness Programs Project. In this study, we analyze administrative data and interviews regarding Trusted Advisor, a workplace financial wellness benefit offering one-on-one counseling linked to vetted financial tools. The purpose of this study was to examine take-up, engagement, and financial […]

Employer-sponsored small-dollar loans: An assessment of take-up, engagement, and outcomes

This is one research brief in a series of five completed through the Employee Financial Wellness Programs Project. In this study, we focus on an employer-sponsored small-dollar loan (ESSDL) product, TrueConnect loans, aimed at providing employees an affordable credit alternative to payday, auto title, and other high-cost loans. We present and discuss results of our […]

Financial counseling for low- and moderate-income employees: An assessment of engagement and outcomes

This is one research brief in a series of five completed through the Employee Financial Wellness Programs Project supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. In this study, we focus on the results of analyses of administrative data for Trusted Advisor, a workplace financial wellness benefit offering one-on-one counseling linked to vetted financial tools. This service […]

When a job is not enough: Employee financial wellness and the role of philanthropy

Employee financial wellness programs provide workplace products and services such as financial coaching and small-dollar credit products that may help employees address the various challenges that are at the root of their financial stress. This report is intended to offer guidance to grant makers to understand the role philanthropy can play in promoting the development […]

Social Policy Institute Launch Event

Washington University in St. Louis is launching the Social Policy Institute (SPI), a new university-wide initiative dedicated to addressing pressing social issues through empirical research, dissemination of evidence-informed policy, and training in social policy.

Dependent care FSAs: The uneven playing field for employers and workers

This research was funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. We thank them for their support but acknowledge that the findings and conclusions presented in this report are those of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Foundation.The authors are grateful to Don Baylor at the Annie E. Casey Foundation […]

Making the Case: What Data Can Do for Your Pilot Program

Job quality intervention pilot programs have the potential to help employers discover effective ways to recruit and retain frontline workers. The Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis offers insights into realistic ways to obtain data on your pilot program’s effectiveness and ideas about how to convey your results in ways that will garner support for your efforts.

Financial wellness programs in the workplace: Employer motivations and experiences

Employee financial wellness programs (EFWPs) are a benefit innovation that promise to address the financial challenges of employees while also benefiting employers. Results from a mixed-methods study of employers suggest early adopters appear to be motivated primarily by a desire to help employees. EFWP success may depend on promotion by organizational champions. Programs that accommodate […]

Measuring Impact of Employee Financial Wellness Programs

Employee financial wellness programs have garnered a great deal of attention, but what do we really know about their impact on employees? The Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis presents hot-off-the-presses research on financial wellness program outcomes and discusses best practices in measurement.

The Saving for Every Child Program in Israel: an overview of a universal asset-building policy

In 2017, the Israeli government implemented a universal child development account programme – the Saving for Every Child Program (SECP) – which establishes a personal savings account for every Israeli child and provides monthly deposits until the child turns 18. The SECP has the potential to provide substantial assets when children reach adulthood, but the […]

Enrollment and participation in a universal child savings program: Evidence from the rollout of Israel’s National Program

Child Development Accounts (CDAs) are savings or investment accounts typically opened at birth or during a child’s early years with the aim of promoting savings and asset accumulation for child development purposes, such as post-secondary education or homeownership. Beginning in January of 2017, the Israeli government established a universal CDA program called the Saving for […]

Child Development Accounts in Israel

Child Development Accounts (CDAs) are savings or investment accounts opened for children at birth or at early ages with the goal to promote savings and asset accumulation for long-term development (e.g., education, homeownership, or business development). Beginning in January of 2017, the Israeli government established a universal CDA program called Saving for Every Child Program […]

How Dan Ariely Sees the Future of Financial Advice (Links to an external site)

Centene Center Faculty Director and behavior economics researcher, Dan Ariely, PhD, MA, talks with ThinkAdvisor about the future of financial advice and how he sees the role of financial advisor evolving over time. He discusses why the usual motivator of paying people can backfire, as well as why people make irrational decisions regarding their money. Rusoff, J. W.

Distracted Employees? Financial Wellness Can Help

Low- and moderate-income employees’ financial lives can be complicated and the challenge of making ends meet may distract them at work. Employers can offer evidence-informed workplace financial products and services targeted towards LMI employees to improve stability and increase wealth.

New Directions on Savings Policy (Links to an external site)

The Social Policy Institute welcomes Kathy Kraninger, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, who will be giving remarks on the importance of promoting financial security and financial well-being and discussing a new savings initiative from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Co-sponsored by the Clark-Fox Policy Institute, the Gephardt Institute for Civic & Community Engagement and the CFPB.

New consumer protection director to speak June 12 (Links to an external site)

Kathy Kraninger, who was named director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) six months ago, spoke about the bureau’s new directions and initiatives in savings policy in Hillman Hall’s Clark-Fox Forum. Michal Grinstein-Weiss, professor in Brown School and SPI director, will oversee a panel focused on the importance of savings in economically vulnerable communities.

Where Do You Get Your Health Information? (Links to an external site)

In a recent study conducted by the Centene Center for Health Transformation, Medicaid, and commercially insured individuals shared their top resources for learning about health topics. Not surprising, both groups communicated that their top three sources were the Internet, doctors/healthcare providers, and valued personal supporters such as family members of friends, preferably those with health-related training like nurses.

Tax Time Savings Initiative – Partner Convening

To provide the opportunity for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the Bureau) Tax Time Savings Initiative Cohort partners to meet in person and share ideas on ways that Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs can increase economic stability through the improved use of savings products and services.