Consumer sentiment is one of the many macroeconomic indicators tracked by policymakers and the public. The aggregate numbers in consumer sentiment indexes, such as the University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment, conceal a wealth of demographic-specific information. The authors'...

This paper researches motivations for charitable bequests by looking at gifts to the poor in wills written in Suffolk, England, in the 1620s and 1630s. The findings that wealthier and more religious individuals and those with fewer children give more to the poor support an altruistic model of...

A revised version of this paper appears as "The Effects of the Earned Income Credit on the Seasonality of Household Expenditures" National Tax Journal 53(4) (part 2): 1211-1244. For more information see www.ntanet.org.

A critical challenge faced by educators, community leaders and policy makers is to bring financial literacy and consumer education effectively to their constituencies. Based on the qualitative evidence gleaned from focus groups, we take a pragmatic approach in proposing ways to deliver financial...

On October 16–17, 2012, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Michigan Bankers Association, and the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan co-sponsored a symposium that brought together business experts, business owners, policymakers, funders, and bankers to address the issues of...

In October 2012, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Michigan Bankers Association and the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan co-sponsored a symposium in Detroit that brought together business experts, business owners, policymakers, funders and bankers to explore issues around...

Hispanics are one of the fastest-growing populations in the nation, yet they have one of the lowest rates of homeownership of all racial/ethnic groups. For a large proportion of Hispanic immigrants, particularly those from Mexico and other Latin American countries, housing needs remain critical....

The issue of economic opportunity for the disadvantaged has grown in importance. We’ve witnessed healthy job creation rates in recent years, and by almost all measures American workers, overall, have gained economic ground. Yet, at the same time, it’s also well known that inequality in...