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Center for Household Financial Stability

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In the Balance: Perspectives on Household Balance Sheets

In the Balance is a collection of short essays related to research on understanding and strengthening the balance sheets of American households.

"Household Wealth is at a Post-WW II High: Should We Celebrate or Worry?"
by William R. Emmons and Lowell R. Ricketts
Issue 17, 2017.

"College Inadvertently Increases Racial and Ethnic Disparity in Income and Wealth"
by William R. Emmons and Lowell R. Ricketts
Issue 16, 2017.

"Choosing to Fail or Lack of Choice? The Demographics of Loan Delinquency"
by William R. Emmons, Lowell R. Ricketts and Tasso Pettigrew
Issue 15, 2016.

The Quarterly Debt Monitor

The Quarterly Debt Monitor is a detailed report on various types of consumer debt. National data are provided, along with data for the four largest metro areas in the St. Louis Fed's District: St. Louis; Little Rock, Ark.; Louisville, Ky.; and Memphis, Tenn.

"Auto Debt Expansion Continues to Slow While Subprime Delinquencies Rise"
by Lowell R. Ricketts
Vol. 1, Issue 4, Covering 2016:Q4.

"Consumer Debt Growth Stalls Despite Strong Sectors"
by Don E. Schlagenhauf and Lowell R. Ricketts
Vol. 1, Issue 3, Covering 2016:Q3.

"Mortgage Debt Continues to Decline While Auto Lending Soars"
by Don E. Schlagenhauf and Lowell R. Ricketts
Vol. 1, Issue 2, Covering 2016:Q2.

The Demographics of Wealth

The Demographics of Wealth series takes a deep dive into the demographic factors surrounding wealth accumulation in the United States. Age, education, and race or ethnicity appear to have a connection to wealth.

Essay One - This first essay in the "Demographics of Wealth" series examines the connection between race or ethnicity and wealth accumulation over the past quarter-century.

Essay Two - New research by the Center for Household Financial Stability shows that there's a strong correlation between education and money. More of the former often leads to more of the latter.

Essay Three - Although there may be downsides to old age, those 62 and older can take heart in knowing that the odds are in favor of their being wealthier than younger people.