Aspen Institute convened leading economists, policymakers, and practitioners to examine how $1,000 seed accounts at birth could work nationwide. Their dialogue featured new research showing that such accounts—when invested wisely—can grow substantially over time, and that pilots in Maine and Oklahoma already yield measurable financial and social benefits. They also surfaced the bipartisan political ground needed to make this idea real.

This landmark study by economists Michael Piwowar and Robert Shapiro finds that a $1,000 Invest America Account at birth could grow on average to $8,000 by age 20, $69,000 by age 40, and $574,000 by age 60. The report highlights how these accounts would boost college attendance, raise earnings, increase entrepreneurship and homeownership, and reduce wealth inequality—especially for children from low- and middle-income families.

The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) modeled how child savings accounts—like those in the Invest America Act—could reduce long-term wealth gaps. Their analysis shows that even modest seed deposits, when paired with regular contributions, lead to dramatically higher retirement savings and economic security. The research underscores that early, universal accounts are among the most effective tools for closing racial and generational wealth divides.