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Policy Highlights

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Policy Highlights

Read more about our key federal legislative efforts below.

Reauthorize the Assets for Independence Act

The Assets for Independence (AFI) program is the primary source of federal funding for individual development accounts (IDAs). Reauthorizing AFI would make much needed changes to the program and help thousands of low-income households save for asset purchases such as a home, retirement, education or business.
Action Opportunities:
• Urge your legislators to support The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Assets for Independence Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1623)

Asset Limit Reform

Asset limits, or caps on the maximum value of assets a household may have to be eligible for certain benefits programs, deter people from seeking work, opening bank accounts and saving money. CFED supports reforms that encourage economic self-reliance.
Action Opportunities:
• Learn more about The SSI Savers Act (HR 2103), legislation that would raise asset limits in the Supplemental Security Income program
• Follow the national trend of asset limit reform in state benefit programs
• Join our SSI Asset Limit Reform Coalition

Children’s Savings Accounts

Children's savings accounts (CSAs), tax-preferred investment accounts opened for each child at birth, are powerful financial products that could expand economic and educational opportunities for children by encouraging long‐term planning, building family wealth and promoting financial literacy.
Action Opportunity:
• Learn more about Federal CSA opportunities
• Ask you legislators to support college savings legislation
• Check out CFED's Asset Building for Children work
• Join our Children's Savings Account Coalition

Saver’s Credit Reform

CFED supports strengthening and reforming the Saver’s Credit to enable millions of Americans to receive an additional incentive to build their savings and enhance their financial security.
Action Opportunities:
• Learn more about CFED’s proposed recommendations
• Contact your legislators to support an expanded Saver’s Credit
• Join the Saver’s Credit Alliance

Manufactured Housing Reform

Manufactured housing done right can open the door to homeownership for low-income families. CFED’s manufactured housing policy priorities help families that choose manufactured homes receive the benefits as other homeowners.
Action Opportunities:
• Visit the I’M HOME Advocacy Center to access resource guides, policy briefs and federal advocacy tools
• Learn about how federal agencies can support manufactured housing
• Visit our national partners, ROC USA and Next Step

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is not only the foundation of economic growth, it also plays a critical role in the economic mobility of low- and moderate-income households. CFED supports policies that enable low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs to access training and financing for their businesses, as well as efforts to integrate entrepreneurship training into relevant federal programs.
Action Opportunities:
• Learn about microenterprise as an anti-poverty strategy
• Ask your legislatorsto support federal funding for microenterprise by supporting startup businesses and entrepreneurs needing tax preparation assistance
• Check out CFED’s Self Employment Tax Initiative (SETI), which works to implement tax code reforms that facilitate and support new entrepreneurs, such as improving the Schedule C interface and delivering tax preparation assistance in combination with additional business development resources

Consumer Financial Protection

Households need access to safe, affordable consumer financial products and services. Individuals and families need to have information in order to effectively compare the costs and benefits of different financial products and make the best choices for themselves. CFED supports efforts by the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to be a cop on the financial beat, and the first federal regulator focused on consumers’ wellbeing. CFED is engaging the Bureau on mortgage protections for owners of manufactured homes, small business loan data disclosure, and alternative data credit reporting.
Action Opportunities:
• Ask your senators to support a strong, independent CFPB
• Learn more about how CFPB can expand mortgage protections for owners of manufactured homes
• Learn more about how alternative data credit reporting can expand access to credit to as many as 70 million Americans

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