Research has demonstrated that ownership of assets -- cash savings, stocks, bonds, and home and business equity -- is associated with better educational attainment, increased civic participation, and more positive health outcomes. This article examines how six states (California, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Illinois, and Michigan) are working to develop asset-building policies and initiatives to help their residents save, invest, and build assets for the future.

Delaware Treasurer Jack Markell discusses his state's efforts to streamline Delawareans' pathway to financial success through education, savings, and investment opportunities.

Effective asset-building strategies need to be informed by accurate and timely information. That's why, in 2002, CFED created a comprehensive tool -- the Assets and Opportunity Scorecard -- to help states measure their residents' ownership and financial security.

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