ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the links between Individual Development Accounts (IDA) savings outcomes and participant characteristics. In terms of independent associations, IDA programs can use knowledge of how IDA savings outcomes are associated with participant characteristics to target special services to those for whom they are most relevant. In terms of dependent associations, all segments of participants saved and built assets in IDAs. The chapter shows how IDA savings outcomes were associated with planned use, holding other factors in the regression constant. In the regression, the number of adults and number of children were not associated with IDA savings outcomes. Employment might be linked with IDA savings outcomes in several ways. In classical economic theory, saving depends on "permanent income", a measure of expected lifetime resources. Economic theory also predicts that saving is more likely from temporary changes in income than from permanent changes.
