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The ability of low-income households to acquire financial assets is investigated. A review of relevant literature on low-income households' patterns of wealth accumulation is performed. Several factors that impact low-income households' potential to accrue financial assets are identified: current consumption needs; demographic differences; the absence of institution-based incentives to save financial resources; government policies; & various psychological & sociological models. Data from the 1984-1987 & 1990-1993 Surveys of Income & Program Participation are then used to analyze low-income households' capacity to accumulate assets. Several findings are reported: variations in wealth accumulation were significant across groups with different ages, education levels, & racial backgrounds; the median wealth for Anglo American households' was almost four times higher than that of African American families; approximately 25% of households surveyed had net worths of less than $5,000; almost 20% of American households did not have transaction accounts, including almost half of African American families. It is contended that methods of accumulating assets are different than those used to increase net general worth in low-income households & that this study has significant implications for future policy creation. 17 Tables, 1 Appendix, 42 References. J. W. Parker

The ability of low-income households to acquire financial assets is investigated. A review of relevant literature on low-income households' patterns of wealth accumulation is performed. Several factors that impact low-income households' potential to accrue financial assets are identified: current consumption needs; demographic differences; the absence of institution-based incentives to save financial resources; government policies; & various psychological & sociological models. Data from the 1984-1987 & 1990-1993 Surveys of Income & Program Participation are then used to analyze low-income households' capacity to accumulate assets. Several findings are reported: variations in wealth accumulation were significant across groups with different ages, education levels, & racial backgrounds; the median wealth for Anglo American households' was almost four times higher than that of African American families; approximately 25% of households surveyed had net worths of less than $5,000; almost 20% of American households did not have transaction accounts, including almost half of African American families. It is contended that methods of accumulating assets are different than those used to increase net general worth in low-income households & that this study has significant implications for future policy creation. 17 Tables, 1 Appendix, 42 References. J. W. Parker

Intro -- Kitchen Capitalism -- Contents -- Tables -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Little Businesses, Large Hopes -- 2. Theory and Evidence -- 3. Who Wants to Be a Microentrepreneur and Why? -- 4. Getting Started: Resources for Microenterprise -- 5. The Bottom Line: Business and Household -- 6. Microenterprise Performance -- 7. Beyond Profit: Multiple Outcomes of Microenterprise -- 8. Fighting Poverty or Promoting Development? -- Appendix A. Glossary -- Appendix B. Research Methods -- Appendix C. Entrepreneurs, Demographic Characteristics, and Their Businesses -- Appendix D. Business and Household Financial Outcomes -- References -- About the Authors -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Z.

AbstractThe use of personal finance smartphone apps results in an improvement in various measures used to assess financial knowledge and skills, attitudes and motivations, and financially capable behaviors for those in low‐income households. Those provided with smartphone apps demonstrated increased self‐confidence in financial decision‐making and financial literacy and improved their ability to delay self‐gratification and their sense of being able to effect change. Financially capable behavior changes manifested in being better able to keep track of finances and manage unexpected bills. User engagement with finance apps could be improved by targeting users with a specific financial decision‐making problem, personalizing the apps through push notifications to encourage ongoing user engagement, and incorporating game mechanics.

German home-ownership rates are significantly lower than home-ownership rates in other nations. Perhaps attributable to several reasons, the ownership differential has become a major housing policy concern. This paper analyses the typical liquidity constraints for first-time home-buyers. It is well known that these constraints largely depend on the rate of inflation and result in credit rationing for investors whose income expectations are high but whose capital endowments are poor. Typically, this is the case for young families. Recently, German tax benefit schemes to promote home-ownership were rescheduled to avoid discrimination against young households. Still, the schemes place a high burden on public budgets. By contrast, the German Housing Policy commission proposed a scheme of home-ownership finance that combines private finance with a public pledge to overcome credit rationing. This paper examines the new proposal and its social, economic and fiscal implications.