New: A guide to tax-time financial capability efforts

“A Toolkit for Expanding Financial Capability at Tax Time” is now available and free to download. The 70-page book presents the current evidence underpinning various tax-time efforts to expand financial capability among low- and moderate-income households.

Study: Interventions can help families better save tax refunds

Motivational prompts to save tax refunds and suggested savings amounts for the tax refund can increase saving among low- and moderate-income households, finds a new experimental study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Study: Tax-return delay could hurt low-income families

Millions of low- and moderate-income Americans who claim certain tax credits will have to wait weeks longer than usual this year for their federal income tax refunds because of a new law aimed at reducing fraud.

Home delinquency rates lower among ACA households

Families who get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act are significantly more likely to make their rent and mortgage payments than are those who remain uninsured, suggests a new study from the Brown School and Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis.

How student debt increases odds of financial struggle

Students who come out of college with debt — especially larger amounts — are more likely to face hardship and financial difficulty during their lives, finds a new study from the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis.

CSD research reveals racial disparities in education debt

New research from the Center for Social Development at Washington University showed that low- to moderate-income black students and graduates accrued $7,721 more education debt than their white counterparts.

Experts explore how to urge Americans to save part of tax refund

​In the midst of the 2016 tax season, leaders from philanthropy, policy, practice and academia convened in at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for a symposium about using tax time to build Americans’ financial capability.

Chicago event focuses on creating savings opportunities

The 80 experts attending the event were brought together by a common interest in creating strategies for using the “golden moment” of tax time to help Americans build savings by changing the way consumers make economic decisions.

CSD partners with St. Louis Fed on balance sheet symposium

​The Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis built on an already engaged and productive relationship this month when it co-sponsored a symposium with the Center for Household Financial Stability at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Savings experiment helps taxpayers make the most of their refunds

​As taxpayers make the final push to file before the April 15 deadline, they often have visions of refund checks and plans to spend their windfall. But the question that more and more people are asking is, “How can I make the most of my refund?”