For the latest post in the new SSIR blog and webinar series, The Hidden Financial Lives of America's Poor and Middle Class, assistant professor and author H. Luke Shaefer discusses the relationship between changing labor markets and income volatility. Shaefer points out that "the interaction between precarious work and an employment-based safety net is a big part of why we’ve seen a sharp uptick in the number of families" struggling to get by. Even when households do find work, it is often unpredictable or piecemeal. Research from the US Financial Diaries provides evidence that this growing income and expense volatility makes it difficult for households to build assets.
You can read Shaefer's complete post here and also register for the series' January 21st webinar, here.
Editor’s Note: I’m going to assume that you are seeing plenty of AI content (news and papers, not AI slop, though I’m sure you’re getting plenty of that too) from other sources, so I’m trying to think hard about the marginal value that the faiV can provide. As far as I’ve gotten so far: a) make sure that directly AI-related content does not take up more than 2 of the 5 items, and b) try to focus specifically on the cybersecurity issue for financial inclusion. Beyond that, I’m open to feedback on the value you get from the faiV in relation to AI to help guide us in the future. On a different note, I’ll be making a brief cameo appearance at the e-MFP Inclusive Finance Conference to moderate the opening plenary. If you haven’t registered, do so and I hope to see you there! - Tim Ogden