Many public benefit programs discourage family savings. Asset limits in TANF, SNAP, LIHEAP and SSI limit eligibility to those with very little in savings. Asset limits get it backwards. Public benefits help families get by; savings help them get ahead. Personal savings are precisely the kind of resources that allow families to move off public benefits. Instead of encouraging self-sufficiency, asset limits discourage families from saving for emergencies, education, homeownership and retirement. Asset limits are outdated policy.