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Small-dollar children's savings accounts and children's college outcomes

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  • Elliott, William

Abstract

This is paper one of four in the small-dollar children's savings account series, which, studies the relationship between children's small-dollar savings accounts and college enrollment and graduation. This series of papers uses different subsamples to examine three important research questions: (a) are children with savings of their own more likely to attend or graduate from college? (b) does dose (i.e., having no account, only basic savings, savings designated for school [of less than $1, $1 to $499, or $500 or more]) matter? and (c) is having savings designated for school more predictive than having basic savings alone? Paper one of this series uses aggregate data from the newest wave of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) and its supplements. Propensity score weighted findings suggest that children who have a small amount of money (e.g., less than $1 or $1 to $499) designated for school are 3 times and 2.5 times more likely, respectively, to enroll in and graduate from college, respectively, than children with no account. Findings also show that having savings designated for school might have a stronger effect on relationship with children's college outcomes than having basic savings that can be used for any purpose. The paper concludes by explaining how policies that create national children's savings programs might help cue a psychological process in which children form an identities as college-savers.

Suggested Citation

  • Elliott, William, 2013. "Small-dollar children's savings accounts and children's college outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 572-585.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:35:y:2013:i:3:p:572-585
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.12.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Elliott, William, 2013. "The effects of economic instability on children's educational outcomes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 461-471.
    2. William Elliott & Hyunzee Jung & Terri Friedline, 2010. "Math Achievement and Children’s Savings: Implications for Child Development Accounts," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 171-184, June.
    3. Martha J. Bailey & Susan M. Dynarski, 2011. "Gains and Gaps: Changing Inequality in U.S. College Entry and Completion," NBER Working Papers 17633, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Elliott, William & Destin, Mesmin & Friedline, Terri, 2011. "Taking stock of ten years of research on the relationship between assets and children's educational outcomes: Implications for theory, policy and intervention," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 2312-2328.
    5. Richard H. Thaler, 2008. "Mental Accounting and Consumer Choice," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(1), pages 15-25, 01-02.
    6. Elliott, William & Sherraden, Margaret & Johnson, Lissa & Guo, Baorong, 2010. "Young children's perceptions of college and saving: Potential role of Child Development Accounts," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 1577-1584, November.
    7. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    8. Arthur B. Kennickell & R. Louise Woodburn, 1999. "CONSISTENT WEIGHT DESIGN FOR THE 1989, 1992 AND 1995 SCFs, AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 45(2), pages 193-215, June.
    9. Cramer, Reid, 2010. "The big lift: Federal policy efforts to create Child Development Accounts," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 1538-1543, November.
    10. Elliott, William & Choi, Eun Hee & Destin, Mesmin & Kim, Kevin H., 2011. "The age old question, which comes first? A simultaneous test of children's savings and children's college-bound identity," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(7), pages 1101-1111, July.
    11. Lea,Stephen E. G. & Tarpy,Roger M. & Webley,Paul M., 1987. "The Individual in the Economy," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521317016.
    12. Elliott, William & Song, Hyun-a & Nam, Ilsung, 2013. "Small-dollar children's savings accounts and children's college outcomes by income level," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 560-571.
    13. Winnett, Adrian & Lewis, Alan, 1995. "Household accounts, mental accounts, and savings behaviour: Some old economics rediscovered?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 431-448, September.
    14. William Elliott III & Hyunzee Jung & Terri Friedline, 2011. "Raising Math Scores Among Children in Low-Wealth Households: Potential Benefit of Children's School Savings," Journal of Income Distribution, Ad libros publications inc., vol. 20(2), pages 72-91, June.
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    1. Cheatham, Gregory A. & Smith, Sean J. & Elliott, William & Friedline, Terri, 2013. "Family assets, postsecondary education, and students with disabilities: Building on progress and overcoming challenges," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1078-1086.
    2. Despard, Mathieu R. & Perantie, Dana & Taylor, Samuel & Grinstein-Weiss, Michal & Friedline, Terri & Raghavan, Ramesh, 2016. "Student debt and hardship: Evidence from a large sample of low- and moderate-income households," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 8-18.
    3. Elliott, William & Rauscher, Emily & Nam, Ilsung, 2018. "Unequal returns: Intragenerational asset accumulation differs by net worth in early adulthood," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 253-263.
    4. Elliott, William & Song, Hyun-a & Nam, Ilsung, 2013. "Small-dollar accounts, children's college outcomes, and wilt," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 535-547.
    5. Moreno-Herrero, Dolores & Salas-Velasco, Manuel & Sánchez-Campillo, José, 2018. "Factors that influence the level of financial literacy among young people: The role of parental engagement and students' experiences with money matters," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 334-351.
    6. Rauscher, Emily & Elliott, William & O'Brien, Megan & Callahan, Jason & Steensma, Joe, 2017. "Examining the relationship between parental educational expectations and a community-based children's savings account program," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 96-107.
    7. Lewis, Melinda & Cramer, Reid & Elliott, William & Sprague, Aleta, 2014. "Policies to promote economic stability, asset building, and child development," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 15-21.

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