Policy Briefs

Policy briefs from the Access to Assets program

Policy Brief: Use of Individual Development Accounts by People with Disabilities: Barriers and Solutions

Asset development tools are a key element of economic development programs that have been created by Congress – with strong bipartisan support – over the last few years. Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), the grandparent of savings programs for the poor, were initiated as part of the welfare reform movement. The original concept of providing savings incentives through a matching program was developed as part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).