Despite the diversity of their financial situations, many American households share a surprising vulnerability. Families, even those with higher incomes, can be disrupted by just one financial setback. In focus groups conducted by The Pew Charitable Trusts, most participants agreed that having...

To qualify for TANF and SNAP, families in many states must prove, among other criteria, that their income and assets do not exceed state or federal levels. These asset limits are caps on the amount of cash, savings, or material property that a family can hold when applying. In the case of TANF,...

Payday loans typically carry annual percentage rates of 300 to 500 percent and are due in a lump sum, or balloon payment, on the borrower’s next payday, usually about two weeks later. These loans are advertised as quick fixes for unexpected expenses, but repaying them consumes more than a third...

This brief examines the findings of three studies—one from The Pew Charitable Trusts and two commissioned by Pew with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation—that looked at the effect of asset limits on family finances and state and program costs and...

What is the difference between those who move up from the bottom and those who don’t? Pew researchers investigated this question and found that a host of factors—including demographics such as education, race, and family employment—play a role in upward mobility. Additionally, Pew’s...

PEW conducted a nationally representative survey of more than 7,000 American households, as well as led focus groups in three cities (Boston, Phoenix, and Orlando). The goal was to collect data on family balance sheets, Americans’ perceptions of their financial security, and how their views...

The charitable sector is a major social and economic force, offering vital services to Canadians and people around the world. The Canada Revenue Agency's Charities Directorate employs an education-first approach and client-centric philosophy. It aims to promote compliance with the charity-related...

As of 2011, 43 percent of families endured swings of more than 25 percent. Such fluctuations, also called income volatility, make it difficult for families to plan, pay regular expenses, save, or pay down debt. But little research has investigated and compared the impact of changes in year-to-year...

This brief explores how Americans think about their savings; how policymakers might enable diverse families to better prepare for, handle, and recover from financial challenges; and related economic factors that should be considered to ensure that policies and programs respond to families’ needs....

This brief examines Americans’ emergency savings: the resources households use as a first line of defense against the unexpected or to cover regular expenses when income does not suffice. Although emergency savings are only one piece of the stability puzzle, a household’s ability to build, use,...

Twelve million Americans take out payday loans each year, spending $9 billion on loan fees. The data included here provide facts on the market and borrower usage, plus a brief review of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed framework to regulate payday and auto title...

This report seeks to develop a clear picture of the current state of household financial security. It begins by exploring three components of family balance sheets—income, expenditures, and wealth—and how they have changed over the past several decades, and concludes with an examination of how...

These are the webinar slides from the Center for Financial Security webinar on the role of education in retirement...

While social finance could have a transformative impact on the funding and financial landscape, relatively little is understood about its implications for charities. This webinar presents the results of a national survey of over 1,000 registered charities undertaken by Imagine Canada to better...

Charities and non-profit organizations play a vital role in supporting and enriching the lives of Canadians. A crowdsourcing survey of individuals involved in the governance of charities and non-profit organizations was conducted from December 4, 2020, to January 18, 2021. The objectives of the...

In this webinar, "How to deliver financial supports for people with developmental disabilities," you will learn about financial supports and government programs for people with disabilities in Canada. The topics covered include: social assistance programs, the Disability Tax Credit and other...

As our society increases its collective knowledge of our shared history with Indigenous peoples, language, identity, and nationhood are shared more frequently in daily media. The tremendous efforts of Idle No More, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and the federal government’s...

Labour Force Survey (LFS) results for June reflect labour market conditions as of the week of June 14 to June 20. A series of survey enhancements continued in June, including additional questions on working from home, difficulty meeting financial needs, and receipt of federal COVID-19 assistance...

The House of Commons Finance Committee recently released its call for pre-budget consultation briefs as the government considers its policy priorities for the 2021 federal budget. This toolkit created by Imagine Canada provides information on the reasons to submit a pre-budget consultation...

United Way is promoting the concept of Integrated Service Delivery -- the seamless delivery of services such as enrollment in income supports, direct service programs, case management, workshops, etc., as one approach to increasing financial stability among lower-income working families. In the...