The Center in the News

  • Center Director Speaks to the Effects of the Pandemic on Financial Fragility

    Quoted by the New York Times, Ray Boshara described how existing financial fragility has been exacerbated by not only the Great Recession, but likely to be by the pandemic as well.

  • Center Blog on Millennial Economic Vulnerability During COVID-19 Highlighted

    Recent Center work emphasized three reasons millennials may face a devastating economic setback from the coronavirus pandemic. This work was featured in the Washington Post, CNBC, the Daily Mail, and Econintersect.

  • Center Research on Effects of Hurricane Harvey Featured

    The COVID-19 shutdown shares some similarities with a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Harvey. Exploring the challenges for federal assistance, Vice featured findings from Center research on the hurricane’s effects on consumer finances.

    • Center: How the COVID-19 Shutdown May Impact Different Generations

      Center staff were interviewed by the New York Times, CNN and Business Insider and outlined how an economic downturn may impact the financial lives of millennials and older generations.

      • Center’s Wealth Inequality Primer Highlighted in Several News Outlets

        The Center summarized the state of wealth inequality in the United States. We focused especially on the black/white racial wealth gap, Hispanic/white wealth gap, generational wealth gap and educational wealth gap. These findings were featured in Bloomberg, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Informer, and CNBC, among others.

      • Center Work on Identifying Thriving and Struggling Families Quoted

        Research findings by Center staff found that demographic factors are predictive of which American families struggle and thrive to achieve financial outcomes such as wealth accumulation. Those families which identify as white, have a four-year college degree, and/or are older typically have much stronger financial outcomes. In contrast, families which identify as black or Hispanic, lack a four-year college degree, and/or younger have weaker outcomes. These findings were quoted in the St. Louis American.

      • Center Research on the Returns to a College Education Featured in the Press

        Center staff found that while the extra earnings enjoyed by college graduates has held steady across generations, the extra wealth enjoyed by recent generations of graduates has declined. These results were discussed in The Atlantic, Washington Post, the Washington Examiner and Forbes.

      • Center Director Highlights Household Financial Instability

        In a recent Washington Post article, Ray Boshara stressed the financial fragility that persists for many families in the U.S.: “Just because folks on Wall Street think things are fine doesn’t mean most Americans feel like things are fine.” Findings from the Center’s Demographics of Wealth series were also featured.

      • Housing Market Numbers Pique Interest of Orange County Register

        In the latest Housing Market Perspectives, Bill Emmons shares which U.S. major metro areas offer the best housing values. He found Los Angeles County homes are the most overpriced in the nation, and those in Orange County, Calif., were close behind. The report shows some Upper Midwestern major metro areas now offer the best values, on average, nationwide.

      • New York Times, German Public Radio Feature Demographics of Wealth Essay

        The decline of the white working class over the past 25 years was unique among groups of families defined by race and class. The New York Times and German public radio stations showcased this and other findings from the third and final essay in the Demographics of Wealth series.

      • Financial Crisis Retrospectives Highlight Center Research

        Center research finds that the recovery of household balance sheets following the Great Recession has been uneven. Coverage by the BBC, St. Louis Public Radio, and the New York Times pair Demographics of Wealth findings with lived experiences.

      • Second Demographics of Wealth Essay Receives Widespread Media Coverage

        The second essay in the Demographics of Wealth series was covered by The New York Times, Bloomberg, WSJ, CNN Money, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Daily Mail, among others. The coverage highlighted the essay’s main finding that the 1980s generation is at greatest risk of becoming a “lost generation” in terms of wealth accumulation.

      • Center Report on Racial Disparities in Student Loan Debt Covered by Reuters

        Visiting Scholar Fenaba Addo’s In the Balance report served as a fact base for an article in Reuters. Addo’s research findings showed that rising college costs may prolong the “long unstable and fragile position of the black middle class”.

      • New Demographics of Wealth Essay Picked Up by CNN Money and WSJ

        The first of three new essays in the popular Demographics of Wealth series was featured by both CNN Money and WSJ in early March. Both articles highlight how “inherited” demographic traits—age, race, and (new to this series) parental education—can provide headwinds or tailwinds to adult financial outcomes. Read more at:

      • HFS Director Discusses Stock Market Exposure in New York Times

        In February, following substantial volatility in the stock market, Center Director Ray Boshara was quoted in the New York Times regarding who stands to benefit (and lose) from exposure to the stock market. Additional analysis was provided in the form of two blog articles authored by Center staff.

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