Category: Financial Inclusion

Moving Forward from SECURE 2.0: Building on the Law’s Most Effective Provisions, Closing the Access Gap, and Reforming Social Security

Sprick, E. (with Despard, M., & Roll, S.). (2025). Moving forward from SECURE 2.0: Building on the law’s most effective provisions, closing the access gap, and reforming social security. Bipartisan Policy Center. https://bipartisanpolicy.org/download/?file=/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Moving-Forward-from-SECURE-2.0-BPC-CSD-Report.pdf

PCCI Direct Cash Transfer Project: Final Report

Hamilton, L., Roll, S., & Zhang, G. (2025). PCCI Direct Cash Transfer Project: Final Report. Appalachian State University, Family Economic Policy Lab. https://fepl.appstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PCCI-Cohort-2-Final-Report.pdf

The National Fund for Children in Kazakhstan

Huseynli, A., Zou, L., Sherraden, M., & Huang, J. (2024). The National Fund for Children in Kazakhstan (Policy Brief No. 24-17). Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/sdeb-m075

Inclusive Children’s Accounts: Toward Lifelong Asset Building for All

Sherraden, M., Clancy, M. M., Huang, J., Shanks, T., & Elliott, W. (2024). Inclusive children’s accounts: Toward lifelong asset building for all (Conference Brief). University of Michigan, School of Social Work, Center on Assets, Education, and Inclusion. https://doi.org/10.7302/24440

Eliminate Racism, Reduce Extreme Economic Inequality, and Build Financial Capabilities and Assets for All; Universal Child Development Accounts to Develop All Children and Reduce Racial Wealth Inequality

Huang, J., Shanks, T. R., Teasley, M., Spencer, M., & Sherraden, M. (2024, July). Eliminate racism, reduce extreme economic inequality, and build financial capabilities and assets for all; Universal Child Development Accounts to develop all children and reduce racial wealth inequality (Policy Brief). Grand Challenges for Social Work. https://grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/240730-CDAs_FINAL.pdf

Child Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Advantaged Accounts Benefiting American Children: Testimony Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance

Elliott, W. (2024, May). Child Savings Accounts and other tax-advantaged accounts benefiting American children: Testimony Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance (CSD Perspective No. 24-05). Washington University, Center for Social Development, and University of Michigan, Center on Assets, Education, and Inclusion. https://doi.org/10.7936/ezhm-qb08

Cultivating financial resilience to combat labor trafficking in Africa

In southern Africa and elsewhere, high vulnerability to poverty and false promises of employment lure many youth from their homes into the hands of traffickers who exploit them through forced labor. A new project from the Center for Social Development (CSD) initiative on Financial Capability and Asset Building in Africa (FCAB Africa) focuses on reducing […]

Financial Capability and Asset Building: Innovations in Social Protection and Development

Ansong, D., Okumu, M., Huang, J., Sun, S., Huseynli, A., Koomson, I., Chowa, G., Ssewamala, F., Sherraden, M. S., & Sherraden, M. (2023). Financial capability and asset building: innovations in social protection and development. In L. Patel, S. Plagerson, & I Chinyoka (Eds.), Handbook on social protection and social development in the global South (pp. 308–330). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800378421.00033

How Did Reskilling During the COVID-19 Pandemic Relate to Entrepreneurship and Optimism? Barriers, Opportunities, and Implications for Equity

Abstract With shorter durations and fewer barriers to entry, reskilling programs may serve as vehicles for social mobility and equity, as well as tools for creating a more adaptive workforce and inclusive economy. Nevertheless, much of the limited large-scale research on these types of programs was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, given the […]

The Case for Early Wealth Building Accounts

Abstract Aspen FSP research on the Future of Wealth has shown that to succeed in the United States economy, people need to enter adulthood–a life stage when many critical investments are made – with a substantial amount of money to invest in themselves and their future. The importance of what we’re calling “investable sums” in young adulthood […]

How Would Americans Respond to Direct Cash Transfers? Results from Two Survey Experiments

Abstract Universal basic income has gained renewed interest among policy makers and researchers in the United States. Although research indicates that unconditional cash transfers produce diverse benefits for households, public support lags in part because of predicted unemployment and frivolous spending. To understand how Americans would reorganize their lives around unconditional cash transfers, this article […]

Child Development Accounts

Huang, J., & Zou, L. (2023). Child Development Accounts. In S. Deng, J. Huang, S. Fang, & X. Zhou (Eds.), 资产建设视角的反贫困社会工作：发展、对话与启示 [Asset-building perspective in anti-poverty social work: Development, dialogue, and insights] (Chap. 8). East China University of Science and Technology Press.

The Risk of Poverty Over the Life Course and Asset Building

Deng, S. (2023). The risk of poverty over the life course and asset building. In S. Deng, J. Huang, S. Fang, & X. Zhou (Eds.), 资产建设视角的反贫困社会工作：发展、对话与启示 [Asset-building perspective in anti-poverty social work: Development, dialogue, and insights] (Chap. 4). East China University of Science and Technology Press.

Financial Capability

Sherraden, M. S. (2023). Financial capability. In S. Deng, J. Huang, S. Fang, & X. Zhou (Eds.), 资产建设视角的反贫困社会工作：发展、对话与启示 [Asset-building perspective in anti-poverty social work: Development, dialogue, and insights] (Chap. 2). East China University of Science and Technology Press.

Determinants of Asset Building

Beverly, S. G., Sherraden, M., Cramer, R., Shanks, T. R., & Nam, Y. (2023). Determinants of asset building. In S. Deng, J. Huang, S. Fang, & X. Zhou (Eds.), 资产建设视角的反贫困社会工作：发展、对话与启示 [Asset-building perspective in anti-poverty social work: Development, dialogue, and insights] (Chap. 1). East China University of Science and Technology Press.

The Effectiveness of Financial Capability and Asset Building Interventions in Improving Youth’s Educational Well-Being: A Systematic Review

Ansong, D., Okumu, M., Nyon, T., Appiah Kubi, J., Amoako, E. O., Koomson, I., Conklin, J. (2023). The effectiveness of financial capability and asset building interventions in improving youth’s educational well-being: A systematic review. Adolescent Research Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-023-00223-x

Policy, Practice, and Institutional Barriers to Financial Capability and Asset Building Related to Race (Racism) in the United States

Jones, J. L., Birkenmaier, J., Johnson, L., McClendon, G. G., Nam, Y., Huang, J., & Onifade, E. (2023). Policy, practice, and institutional barriers to financial capability and asset building related to race (racism) in the United States. In M. L. Teasley, M. S. Spencer, & M. Bartholomew (Eds.), Social work and the Grand Challenge of Ending Racism: Concepts, theory, and evidence based approaches (Chap. 21). Oxford University Press.