Journal Article
Asset Diversification and Low Debt Are the Keys to Building and Maintaining Wealth
Boshara, Ray; Emmons, William R. (2014-01)
Greatly expanded access to home mortgages during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s appeared to make the American dream a reality for millions of families. Homeownership was attainable by many who, for the first time, were able to take out a mortgage with an extremely low or no down payment ? even if they had a blemished credit history or none at all. For those with access to their accumulated home equity through mortgage refinancing or other home-secured borrowing, as well as to other sources of credit, lack of available cash no longer meant that they had to delay making routine purchases, buying a ...
Cascade , Volume 1

Journal Article
Does College Level the Playing Field?
Boshara, Ray; Ricketts, Lowell R.; Emmons, William R. (2017-04)
The answer to this question may be ?No?; read about a research symposium and subsequent paper that explored the links between race and ethnicity, and education and wealth.
Bridges , Issue Spring

10 Years of Accomplishments: A Final Reflection on the Center for Household Financial Stability
Boshara, Ray (2021-02-09)
Ray Boshara reflects on the Center’s work as it readies for its next chapter at the St. Louis Fed.
On the Economy

Periodic Essay
The Demographics of Wealth - How Age, Education and Race Separate Thrivers from Strugglers in Today's Economy. Essay No. 2: The Role of Education
Noeth, Bryan J.; Boshara, Ray; Emmons, William R. (2015)
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. However, correlation is not causation?there is no guarantee that more education will lead to more wealth. Many other factors might be in play, such as natural ability, family environment, inheritances and even health. It's entirely possible that what's learned in the classroom has much less influence on lifetime earnings and wealth accumulation than most people believe. In fact, your ability, family background, ...
Demographics of Wealth , Issue 2 , Pages 1-28

Journal Article
Financial Fragility Following COVID-19 Income Shocks: Who is Most Vulnerable?
Boshara, Ray; Ricketts, Lowell R. (2020-06-29)
The COVID-19 pandemic prompts the Center for Household Financial Stability team to weigh the causes of certain families being more at-risk to economic shock than others.
Bridges

Periodic Essay
Which Families Are Most Vulnerable to an Income Shock such as COVID-19?
Boshara, Ray; Ricketts, Lowell R. (2020-05-01)
Families without enough "safe" assets and too much debt are at risk—who else should policymakers and others target for economic assistance?
In the Balance

Journal Article
Thinking Big—And Thinking Small
Boshara, Ray (2017-07)
Modest but scalable innovations can reshape economic opportunity for struggling Americans.
Bridges , Issue Summer

Identifying the Most Financially Vulnerable Families
Boshara, Ray; Ricketts, Lowell R. (2020-12-07)
Households with less than two months’ income in liquid assets and those with high debt-to-income ratios face the greatest risk of serious delinquency.
On the Economy

Journal Article
The Challenges and Promises of Rural America
Boshara, Ray (2019-07)
A trip to a rural Minnesota town prompts an assessment of the issues?and innovations?that impact similar communities across the nation.
Bridges , Issue Summer

Journal Article
Thanks, Dad: You Were Right about Saving and Paying Off Debt
Boshara, Ray (2018-04)
Ray Boshara shares a lesson his father taught him about always having cash to fall back on. Recent research shows that his dad was right.
Bridges , Issue Spring