Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
In 2022, Black households’ wealth in the United States was at the highest level ever recorded. This record reflects Black households’ strong wealth gains between 2019-2022, when median Black household wealth reached $44,100 (compared to the national median of $192,700). But as Black Americans have experienced greater economic opportunities and many have been able to build up meaningful net worth, an additional challenge has come into sharper focus: wealth loss.
This report focuses on the assets that people generally intend to preserve throughout their working lives or lifetimes: home equity, retirement savings, and wealth held in businesses they own. We examined historical events and current trends to develop broad estimates of the amount of Black-owned assets at risk in each of these areas.
The executive summary overviews the main findings from this analysis. The full report, available later this month, will provide more in-depth examination of how we identified and estimated wealth loss risks.
As part of our essential wealth metric project, Aspen FSP has collaborated closely with our partners at Gary Community Ventures to look specifically at the wealth of Coloradans.
This case study from Gary Community Ventures and Aspen FSP explores the design, policy, and financing tools that made the Colorado Tenant Equity Vehicle (TEV) possible.
Aspen FSP Fellow Devin Murphy is committed to growing models of wealth building so that all U.S. families can thrive. Learn more about his work in this Q&A.
Attaining a baseline of security, mobility, and well-being requires wealth. But exactly how much is needed? This brief aims to offer a path toward greater empirical understanding of what constitutes essential wealth and how to measure it.
Households need tools that help them afford everyday life and build long-term security. Too often, policy systems fail to respond to both of these needs and instead prioritize one goal over the other.
