 Asset Limits in Public Assistance and Savings Behavior Among Low‐Income FamiliesLeah Hamilton Social Science Quarterly, 2021, vol. 102, issue 1, 454-467 Abstract: Objectives Low‐income families receiving public benefits in the United States are often subject to asset limits for eligibility, which some argue to be counterproductive to their long‐term economic stability. Previous research suggests that families were more likely to save when asset limits increased after welfare reform in 1996. The current study builds upon this work for the years before and after the Great Recession. Methods This study utilized data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Assets and bank account ownership of low‐income female‐headed households were compared to multiple control groups for the years 2003–2013 using a difference‐in‐difference analytical approach. Results Results suggest that wealth is associated with race and income, but not with asset limit policies. Bank account ownership was similarly unaffected by Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) policy. Conclusions It is likely that TANF policies are only one of the many barriers to asset accumulation faced by low‐income families, especially in a period of recession. Date: 2021 Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:socsci:v:102:y:2021:i:1:p:454-467 Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from Access Statistics for this article Social Science Quarterly is currently edited by Robert L. Lineberry More articles in Social Science Quarterly from Southwestern Social Science Association |
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