Financial capability combines the ability to act with the opportunity to act in ways that contribute to financial functioning. As large numbers of people struggle to manage their household finances, financial capability has become increasingly important. Improving financial capability requires financial education and guidance as well as improved access across the life span to appropriate and beneficial financial products and services. Examples of policies that promote financial capability across the life span include Children’s Development Accounts and myRAs, long-term investment vehicles that build financial capability. Social work can play a key role in building financial capability through interventions in households, communities, and policies. However, these contributions require practice and research to develop and test interventions. They also require financial education for social workers.
The Encyclopedia of Social Work published an updated version of this article in February 2022:
Sherraden, M. S., Huang, J., & Ansong, D. (2022, February 24). Financial capability. In C. Franklin (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Social Work (Online ed.). https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1201
Project: Financial Capability and Asset Building
Citation
Sherraden, M. S. (2017, February 27). Financial capability. In C. Franklin (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Social Work (Online ed.). https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1201