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Family Finances

The New Wealth Agenda

Among the truly urgent crises facing the United States is widespread household financial insecurity. A stunning 51% of U.S. households have expenses that a ...

BY Katherine Lucas McKay & 1 more

Publication

05.26.2023
Family Finances

The State of Financial Security 2020: A Framework

Aspen FSP presents a new framework for understanding and addressing the challenges of household financial insecurity.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

11.09.2020

2024 Publications

2023 Publications

2022 Publications

2021 Publications

2020 Publications

2019 Publications

2018 Publications

Family Finances

Compounding Threats of Income Volatility & Retirement Insecurity

This brief explores the interaction between two critical financial security challenges, income volatility and lack of retirement preparedness.

BY Financial Security Program & 1 more

Publication

12.17.2018
Family Finances

Consumer Debt Solutions Framework

EPIC’s research has identified seven specific consumer debt problems that result in financial insecurity and damage well-being.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

11.14.2018
Family Finances

The nLIFT Manifesto

This Manifesto sets forth nLIFT’s vision, our values, and our theory of change within the fintech sector.

BY Financial Security Program & 2 more

Publication

09.11.2018
US Economy

Economic Security Summit 2017 Report

This report incorporates insights from the 2017 Economic Security Summit and provides an outline for future policy dialogue and directions.

BY Karen Kahn, & 2 more

Publication

06.15.2018
Family Finances

Consumer Debt: A Primer

This research primer sheds light on the meaning of current trends in consumer debt.

BY EPIC

Publication

03.26.2018

Summit Reports

US Economy

Economic Security Summit 2017 Report

This report incorporates insights from the 2017 Economic Security Summit and provides an outline for future policy dialogue and directions.

BY Karen Kahn, & 2 more

Publication

06.15.2018
US Economy

Reconnecting Work and Wealth

This report incorporates insights from the 2016 Economic Security Summit and provides an outline for future policy dialogue and directions.

BY Anne Kim & 2 more

Publication

06.01.2017
Finance and Assets

2015 Financial Security Summit

A discussion of expanding retirement security and children's savings accounts for low- and moderate-income families.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

12.15.2015
Finance and Assets

2014 Financial Security Summit

Examines how policymakers can make it easier for households to build financial security and to reinvigorate the American Dream.

BY Colby Farber

Publication

11.05.2014
Finance and Assets

2013 Financial Security Summit Report

The 2013 Summit examined how leaders can still preserve the American Dream of a college education, homeownership, and a secure retirement.

BY Colby Farber

Publication

11.20.2013
Finance and Assets

2012 Financial Security Summit Report

Summit participants revealed compelling consensus around savings policies that have the power to enhance economic mobility and financial security.

BY Colby Farber

Publication

06.07.2013

2017 Publications

Older Publications

Family Finances

Proposed Rule on Expanding Safe Harbor

Aspen FSP submitted comments to the Department of Labor (DOL) in support of the agency’s proposal to expand the recently created ERISA safe harbor to cer ...

BY Ida Rademacher

Publication

10.04.2016
Family Finances

Expanding Retirement Coverage in States

This issue brief summarizes the options for states to expand retirement coverage for private-sector workers and highlights the tradeoffs state policymakers will face when deciding which avenues to pursue.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

09.06.2016
Family Finances

Income Volatility: Managing the Swings

This brief presents a framework for thinking through possible public- and private-sector solutions to the challenge of income volatility.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

08.25.2016
Family Finances

Saver's Credit at a Glance

States pursuing retirement programs can help citizens claim underutilized federal tax credit.

BY Financial Security Program & 1 more

Publication

06.18.2016
Family Finances

When Income Spikes and Dips: A Primer

Our investigators share the latest on the nature and impact of the income volatility destabilizing nearly half of American households.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

05.01.2016
Family Finances

ERISA Safe Harbor for States

FSP submitted public comments to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regarding DOL's recent proposal to establish a safe harbor from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

01.21.2016
Family Finances

Transferring myRA Account Balances

Aspen FSP provided feedback on how best to transfer myRA account balances to private sector Roth IRAs in the event that the myRA saver reaches the Transfer Threshold of $15,000 or 30 years of participation without having specified a preferred private sector provider.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

10.23.2015
Family Finances

Benefit of Higher US Household Saving

This study provides conclusive evidence of the vital role household saving plays in spurring job creation, boosting growth, reducing reliance on foreign capital, and preparing Americans for retirement.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

06.24.2014
Family Finances

Child Trust Funds

This paper intends to address the Child Trust Fund's criticism to highlight the success and renew the debate on children's savings accounts in the United States.

BY William Zichawo, Colby Farber, Lisa Mensah

Publication

03.10.2014
Family Finances

Testimony to Pensions/Retirement Working Group

Aspen IFS puts forward that a tax reform moment offers the opportunity to enhance retirement security for all American households.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

04.10.2013
Family Finances

Building Our Financial Security on a Solid Rock

Mensah's remarks addressed strengthening our country's financial security foundation and the importance of the assets field.

BY Lisa Mensah

Publication

09.19.2012
Family Finances

The Freedom Savings Credit

Building Americans' household balance sheets should start with making savings and asset-building incentives more efficient and equitable.

BY Lisa Mensah, Raymond O'Mara III, Colby Farber, Robert Weinberger

Publication

02.17.2012

Family Finances

Social Security: The House that Roosevelt Built

Critics of the Social Security program are fond of labeling the Social Security trust fund as a fiction, claiming that the program is bankrupt, or dispa ...

BY Pamela Perun, Patricia Dilley

Publication

07.28.2011
Family Finances

Confronting the Challenge of Longevity

Providing Americans the tools to manage the risk of outliving one's savings in retirement will be a major challenge of the 21st century.

BY Pamela Perun

Publication

10.26.2010
Family Finances

The Case for Security Plus Annuities

Because the financial situations and goals of American savers are diverse, they will need a variety of products and services to secure their income.

BY Pamela Perun

Publication

10.18.2010
Family Finances

A Savings Approach to Homeownership

Homeownership is a core American value. It epitomizes the American Dream and the opportunity to build better lives for our children.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

07.15.2010
Family Finances

Aspen IFS's Comment to the Department of Labor

Aspen IFS recognizes that there are behavioral challenges to turning people into savers and savers into investors.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

04.30.2010
Family Finances

The Advantages of RS+ over the R-Bond

This publication compares the two leading default investment options being considered for the Obama Administration’s proposed Automatic IRA.

BY Lewis Mandell, Pamela Perun, and Raymond O'Mara III

Publication

02.24.2010
Family Finances

School-Based Financial Education

An in-depth look at the history of financial literacy initiatives in America, past successes, shortcomings, and lessons learned.

BY Lewis Mandell, Ph.D.

Publication

06.17.2009
Family Finances

Child Accounts

The Initiative on Financial Security (Aspen IFS) at the Aspen Institute has conducted four years of research into the potential for a delivery system based ...

BY Lisa Mensah, Mary Laraia, Pamela Perun

Publication

06.22.2009
Finance and Assets

Building Financial Security in the Obama Era

Aspen IFS issues a challenge to Wall Street to take the initiative and begin work to help build a new American system of savings.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

04.06.2009
Family Finances

Savings Policy eBriefing Book

America is facing a savings and asset crisis. We are experiencing a period of lower personal savings than at any time since the Great Depression.

Publication

02.25.2009
Family Finances

A Savings Agenda for America

A comprehensive savings agenda for policy makers to pursue in order to ensure the long-term economic prosperity of the United States.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

11.05.2008
Family Finances

Child Accounts: The California Advantage

The California Advantage explains how local governments in California could use an existing financial instrument - known as Coogan Trusts - to create a Child Account program.

BY Financial Security Program

Publication

07.01.2008