Stephen Roll

Assistant Professor
Washington University in St. Louis

Dr. Stephen Roll's research focuses on promoting asset building, debt management, and economic security in lower-income populations. Working within the Social Policy Institute, where he is the Associate Director of Research, he is involved in research on child savings, food insecurity, and the role of financial technology services in promoting financial well-being. 

His most recent work focuses on the role of cash transfer programs in improving household balance sheets and economic mobility outcomes, which includes studies of the Expanded Child Tax Credit and two Guaranteed Income experiments in Georgia.

His work has been featured in numerous media outlets including The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Washington Post, and the New York Times, and he has briefed the White House Domestic Policy Council, the Senate Joint Economic Committee, and the United States Supreme Court on the results of his research.

  • Overview

    The "In Her Hands" initiative is a guaranteed income program aimed at providing financial support to low-income women. This report summarizes the findings from the first year of the initiative, focusing on the impacts of the guaranteed income on the well-being and financial stability of the participants. The research seeks to understand how direct cash payments can alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life for women in economically disadvantaged situations.

    February 23, 2024

    |

    Evidence

    |
  • This project will examine two experimental GI studies in Georgia. The first study randomly enrolled 654 Black women to receive a GI for two years, with participants randomized into one of two disbursement models. The second study, embedded in a non-profit serving unhoused individuals, will randomly assign 200 current clients to receive either standard housing support or housing support plus $400/month for one year.

    August 15, 2023

    |

    Has Evidence

    |