Articles & Special Issues Asset Building

Program Knowledge and Racial Disparities in Savings Outcomes in a Child Development Account Experiment

Automatic enrollment and an initial deposit are key features of most Child Development Account (CDA) programs. Yet, are individual savings outcomes influenced by whether the parents of automatically enrolled children understand the features of the CDAs? and does variation in program knowledge explain documented racial and ethnic differences in individual savings outcomes? This study, a product of the SEED for Oklahoma Kids experiment, sought answers. The findings challenge traditional assumptions and suggest key insights for the development of public policy.

Project: SEED for Oklahoma Kids

Citation

Nam, Y., Hole, E., Sherraden, M., & Clancy, M. M. (2018). Program knowledge and racial disparities in savings outcomes in a Child Development Account experiment. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 39(1), 145–162. doi:10.1007/s10834-017-9544-5