This paper considers four programs--Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), food stamps, child care subsidies, and the earned income tax credit (EITC)--that form the core work support system in the United States. It highlights differences in program funding, eligibility, and delivery systems. It describes trends in participation and synthesizes research knowledge about the observed differences in program participation. The paper concludes that these programs do not form an effective system. Each program operates under different rules that many low-income working families find daunting. A few recent state innovations offer potential for improving the system.

The US savings rate decreased from 10.8 percent in 1984 to 0 percent in 2005, according to the Urban Institute. Additionally, the bottom quarter of the population by income has a negative net worth. This article reviews strategies to boost the savings rate in the US, as well as offers program improvements to asset building programs already in existence.

From the Urban Institute, this fact sheet reviews various work supports available to low-income families since the 1996 PRWORA. Although work supports were significantly expanded, they still fall short in providing families enough to promote asset building, leading to self-sufficiency.

From the Urban Institute, this report reviews the state of financial literacy and education programs in the US. Authors offer their perspectives on the content of current financial education programs and offer implications for the future of financial literacy problems.

This issue brief aims to discuss predatory lending and the effects that this practice has on the financial wellbeing of children and families. Authors review how local communities can take action against predatory lending toward vulnerable borrowers to help support asset building in low income working families.

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) Web site, the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is critical to ensuring that low-income working families and individuals maximize their incomes. Such households may not be aware of the EITC or that it can be worth as much as $3,816 to them. Because the credit is refundable, it can even help households who have no income tax obligation. Those previously receiving welfare who have recently moved into employment, immigrant workers, or workers who are or have been homeless are eligible for these funds.

Because of its role in helping working families escape poverty, the EITC has attracted widespread interest and support among administrators of other programs that serve families with children. To obtain information about EITC, go to CBPP at http://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-the-earned-income-tax-credit?fa=view&id=2505 or call 202-408-1080 (ph), 202-408-1056 (fax).

Michael Stegman, Walter Davis, and Roberto Quercia authors. This Brookings Institution report analyzes how the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) could potentially alleviate severe housing cost burdens for low- and moderate-income households.

Due in large part to welfare reform, employment rates have increased among single mothers. From the Urban Institute, this article examines these trends in relation to increasing income among this population due to employment and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Such income supplements can equate to higher Social Security and retirement benefits among this population.

This article provides a concise overview of Federal legislation involving IDA's (AFIA, TANF, privately funded) and discusses their interaction and impacts on TANF, Medicaid, SCHIP, Food Stamps, and SSI.

This latest in a series of MDRC how-to guides identifies program features and administrative practices that can help states better target financial work incentives to intended beneficiaries, increase participation among eligible incentive recipients, and maximize the benefits of the incentives. Making Work Pay draws on in-depth investigations by MDRC researchers of pioneering financial work support programs in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Canada. The lessons it contains should prove especially timely as state and local governments, straining under severe budgetary pressures, strive to sustain earnings supplement programs and make their delivery more efficient.