Invited Symposium I: Advancing Inclusive Economic Security across the Life Course: Research and Policy Pathways Forward

The 2024 elections underscored that many politicians did not fully grasp the levels of financial stress and anxiety among working- and middle-class U.S. households despite indicators of positive national economic growth. One factor for this disconnect is our nation’s focus on economic insecurity versus economic security. Traditional measures of economic insecurity (i.e., the federal poverty measure) only highlight those in most acute need, leaving millions who are struggling to feel unseen and unsupported. The Federal Reserve’s 2023 Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making found that 28% of persons in the US reported they were “just making ends meet� or “finding it difficult� to do so and only 33% reported “living comfortably.�

This symposium brings together leading policy researchers to explore how we can advance inclusive economic security across the life course—from early childhood to old age—through the diverse foci of their research. Moving beyond a deficit-oriented framework centered on insecurity, the symposium emphasizes what policy can do to foster thriving, not just surviving. Thriving is conceptualized as a household’s capacity to move beyond basic economic subsistence to invest in the future – whether to grow a family, buy a home, pursue education, start a business, or plan for retirement.

Panelists will share strategies for engaging with policymakers and the public to inform decisions that directly impact the ability of all members of society, and particularly those historically marginalized, to be financially secure. The session aims to build pathways toward a more inclusive and sustainable vision of economic security.