Abstract Tax refunds are an opportunity for lower-income households to accumulate emergency savings so they have cash on hand to cover expenses when income is insufficient. Our field experiments testing different behavioral interventions to encourage refund saving via online tax filing show small effect sizes (0.12–0.14) and a low aggregate savings rate (12%) that might […]
Tag: Jane Oliphant
Tax-time saving and the earned income tax credit: results from online field and survey experiments
Tax refunds are an opportunity for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) recipients to build emergency savings. Randomly assigned behavioral interventions in 2015 and 2016 have statistically significant impacts on refund saving take-up and amounts among EITC recipients who filed their taxes online. From a survey experiment, we also find that EITC recipients have a 49 percent and 59 percent increased likelihood of deferring 20 percent of their refunds for six months when hypothetically offered 25 and 50 percent savings matches (p < .001), respectively. These findings can inform policy development related to encouraging emergency saving at tax time.
“I Didn’t Really Want to Leave”: A Case Study of Public Housing Relocation Under Pressure
Metzger, M. W., & Oliphant, J. E. (2019). “I didn’t really want to leave”: A case study of public housing relocation under pressure. Critical Social Work,18(1).
Effects of a randomized tax-time savings intervention on savings account ownership among low- and moderate-income households
Being unbanked makes it difficult for low and moderate-income (LMI) households to manage finances, save, and access credit. We assessed effects of an online tax-time savings intervention on savings account openings in the 6 months following tax filing among a sample of4,692 LMI tax filers. Treatment group participants had 60% greater odds of opening a […]
The Mediating Role of Assets in Explaining Hardship Risk Among Households Experiencing Financial Shocks
Despard, M. R., Guo, S., Grinstein-Weiss, M., Russell, B., Oliphant, J. E., & deRuyter, A. (2018). The mediating role of assets in explaining hardship risk among households experiencing financial shocks. Social Work Research, 42(3), 147–158. doi:10.1093/swr/svy012
The role of choice architecture in promoting saving at tax time: Evidence from a large-scale field experiment
Tax refunds give many low-and moderate-income (LMI) households a rare opportunity to save for unexpected expenses. We conducted three experiments aimed at increasing tax-time savings by LMI consumers. In a large field experiment, the most effective intervention increased the average savings deposits by about 50%. Delivered as people filed taxes online, this treatment consisted of […]
Assessing Retirement Needs and Interest in myRa: Findings From the Refund to Savings Initiative
Roll, S. P., Oliphant, J. E., Perantie, D. C., Grinstein-Weiss, M., & Davison, G. (2017). Assessing retirement needs and interest in myRA: Findings from the Refund to Savings Initiative (CSD Research Report No. 17-16). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/K74749DH
Coping With a Crisis: Financial Resources Available to Low- and Moderate-Income Households in Emergencies
Perantie, D. C., Roll, S. P., Oliphant, J. E., Guo, S., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2017, February). Coping with a crisis: Financial resources available to low- and moderate-income households in emergencies (CSD Research Brief No. 17-11). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development. https://doi.org/10.7936/K7M32V90
The Role of Choice Architecture in Promoting Saving at Tax Time: Evidence From a Large-Scale Field Experiment
Grinstein-Weiss, M., Cryder, C., Despard, M. R., Perantie, D. C., Oliphant, J. E., & Ariely, D. (2017). The role of choice architecture in promoting saving at tax time: Evidence from a large-scale field experiment (CSD Working Paper No. 17-29). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Delaying Tax Refunds for Earned Income Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit Claimants
The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 requires the IRS to delay tax refunds for taxpayers who claim an earned income tax credit or additional child tax credit on their returns until at least February 15. The delay could help the IRS better check claims for these credits. But this new requirement will […]
Leveraging Tax Time to Build Financial Capability: Research Evidence and Policy Directions
Covington, M., Oliphant, J. E., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2016). Leveraging tax time to build financial capability: Research evidence and policy directions (CSD Conference Proceeding No. 16-27). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
The Role of Health Insurance in the Financial Lives of Low- and Moderate-Income Households
Despard, M. R., Roll, S. P., Perantie, D. C., Oliphant, J. E., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2016, July). The role of health insurance in the financial lives of low- and moderate-income households (CSD Research Brief No. 16-26). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Features of Child Development Accounts in Israel
Grinstein-Weiss, M., Covington, M., Brewster, M., & Oliphant, J. E. (2016, April). Frequently asked questions about the features of Child Development Accounts in Israel (CSD Fact Sheet No. 16-12). St. Louis, MO.
Characteristics and Hardships Associated With Bank Account Ownership Among Refund to Savings Participants
Grinstein-Weiss, M., Perantie, D. C., Oliphant, J. E., deRuyter, A., & Despard, M. R. (2016, March). Characteristics and hardships associated with bank account ownership among Refund to Savings participants (CSD Research Brief No. 16-09). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Support for a Tax-Time Savings Policy: Interest in Deferring Tax Refunds With Matched Incentives
Perantie, D. C., Oliphant, J. E., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2016, January). Support for a tax-time savings policy: Interest in deferring tax refunds with matched incentives (CSD Research Brief No. 16-03). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Use of Alternative Financial Services Among Low- and Moderate-Income Households: Findings From a Large-Scale National Household Financial Survey
Despard, M. R., Perantie, D. C., Luo, L., Oliphant, J., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2015, November). Use of alternative financial services among low- and moderate-income households: Findings from a large-scale national Household Financial Survey (CSD Research Brief No. 15-57). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
The Volunteer Income Tax Preparer’s Toolkit: Showing Clients Why Tax Time Is the Right Time to Save
Covington, M., Oliphant, J., Perantie, D., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2015, September). The volunteer income tax preparer’s toolkit: Showing clients why tax time is the right time to save (CSD Toolkit No. 15-56). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.
Effects of an Individual Development Account Program on Retirement Saving: Follow-Up Evidence From a Randomized Experiment
Grinstein-Weiss, M., Sherraden, M., Gale, W. G., Rohe, W. M., Schreiner, M., Key, C., & Oliphant, J. E. (2015). Effects of an Individual Development Account program on retirement saving: Follow-up evidence from a randomized experiment. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 58(6), 572–589. doi:10.1080/01634372.2015.1052174
Do EITC Recipients Use Their Tax Refunds to Get Ahead? Evidence From the Refund to Savings Initiative
Despard, M. R., Perantie, D. C., Oliphant, J., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2015, July). Do EITC recipients use their tax refunds to get ahead? Evidence from the Refund to Savings initiative (CSD Research Brief No. 15-38). St. Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis, Center for Social Development.
Does Unsecured Debt Decrease Savings? Evidence From the Refund to Savings Initiative
Grinstein-Weiss, M., Oliphant, J., Russell, B. D., & Boshara, R. (2015, March). Does unsecured debt decrease savings? Evidence from the Refund to Savings Initiative (CSD Research Brief No. 15-16). St. Louis, MO: Washington University, Center for Social Development.