The Massachusetts Asset Development Commission recommends ways to better assist low- and moderate-income families to build and retain assets. The report, prepared by IASP, was released at a State House event with Governor Patrick and legislative leaders.
IASP Director Tom Shapiro's commentary, "Closing the Racial Wealth Gap," is featured as part of CNN's Race in America series. Dr. Shapiro frames racial wealth inequality as the hidden fault line of American democracy, arguing for a new civil rights movement for the 21st century that focuses on economic opportunity, inclusion and closing the racial wealth gap.
According to this new IASP and Demos report, households of color suffer dramatic declines in middle class economic security.
Read this joint statement put out by IASP, Demos, the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW).
Boston Globe editorial cites the recent IASP study of the economic benefits experienced by low income families receiving EITC and financial education.
Living Longer on Less in Massachusetts: The New Economic (In)Security of Seniors
The new IASP report finds 7 out of 10 senior households in Massachusetts don't have long-term economic security.
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Achieving Greater Financial Stability: The Role of the EITC and Financial Education in Advancing the Asset Formation Efforts of Community Action Agencies
Findings of IASP's two-year study of the role of the EITC and financial education in advancing the asset formation efforts of Community Action Agencies.
Progress Report of the Massachusetts Asset Development Commission
IASP aided the Commission in drafting the report of its recommendations for immediate actions to expand asset building opportunities for low and moderate income families.
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CBS Evening News features IASP and Demos Report, Living Longer on Less.
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Selected by the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) as one of 12 scholars to compose a policy paper on improving Social Security for vulnerable groups, Laura Sullivan, Tatjana Meschede and Thomas Shapiro discuss three spheres to enhance social security benefits for low-income workers.
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The Institute on Assets and Social Policy is a research institute at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, dedicated to promoting a better understanding of how assets and asset-building opportunities improve the well-being and financial stability of individuals and families left out of the economic mainstream.
IASP pursues its mission through original research, policy analysis, program evaluation, technical assistance, community engagement, organizational capacity building, and leadership development to:
Create New Measures and Evidence of Asset Well-Being
Generate Analysis of Asset Formation Opportunities
Evaluate and Improve the Scope and Delivery of Asset Building Programs and Services
Form Partnerships and Collaborations with Policy-Makers, Constituency Organizations, and Communities
Disseminate Resources, Tools, and Products to Expand Knowledge, Practice, and Action
Train Future Leaders in Asset Development
The Institute on Assets and Social Policy, in collaboration with our partner Demos , embarked on a three-year project, funded by the MacArthur Foundation, examining the economic security and stability of America's middle class. The series to-date includes:
By a Thread: The New Experience of America's Middle Class, November 2007
By a Thread recommends policies to help open access to, and strengthen America's middle class. Legislative proposals in this report cover a range of important issues, including asset building and debt reduction, making higher education more accessible and affordable, and addressing the healthcare crisis. Report ≥≥
Economic (In)Security: The Experience of the African-American and Latino Middle Classes, February 2008
By a Thread recommends policies to help open access to, and strengthen America's middle class. Legislative proposals in this report cover a range of important issues, including asset building and debt reduction, making higher education more accessible and affordable, and addressing the healthcare crisis. Report ≥≥
From Middle to Shaky Ground: The Economic Decline of America's Middle Class, 2000-2006, November 2008
According to this new report, the third in a series based on the Middle Class Security Index, 76% of American middle class households are not financially secure. As the economy continues to rell, 4 million American households are either borderline or at high risk of falling out of the middle class altogether. Report ≥≥
Living Longer on Less: The New Economic (In)Security of Seniors, January 2009
The new report by IASP and Demos finds 78% of all senior households are financially vulnerable when it comes to their ability to meet essential expenses and cover projected costs over their lifetime. Economic insecurity is particularly pronounced for single senior households - with 84% among them facing financial insecurity. Those sobering stats serve as an economic distress signal for older Americans and a wake-up call for younger and middle-aged Americans. Report ≥≥
© 2009, Institute on Assets and Social Policy, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University. All rights are reserved.
