Automatic enrollment has long been considered a best practice in the early wealth-building field, helping increase participation, expand access, and reduce disparities driven by administrative burden and awareness gaps. With Treasury's recent announcement that more than 60 million children have now been automatically enrolled in 530A Accounts, policymakers, practitioners, and philanthropy have an opportunity to apply lessons learned from decades of experience with children's savings accounts and baby bonds programs.

Join the Urban Institute for the inaugural session of the Early Wealth Building Integration Series: Advancing Best Practices for 530A Integration. Drawing on research from the Center for Social Development and implementation experience from statewide and local programs, speakers will explore how enrollment pathways affect participation, equity, administrative burden, and family engagement. The discussion will also examine a critical lesson from the field: automatic enrollment is only the first step, and effective communication and outreach remain essential to helping families benefit from early wealth-building opportunities.

Speakers

• Madeline Brown, Senior Policy Associate, Research to Action Lab, Urban Institute
• Jin Huang, Co-Director, Center for Social Development, Washington University St. Louis
• Gabriela Koc, Director of External Affairs, State of Connecticut, Office of the Treasurer
• Karen McDermott, Manager, Children’s Savings Accounts, Pennsylvania Treasury
• Signe-Mary McKernan, Vice President, Family and Financial Well-Being Division, Urban Institute
• Colleen Quint, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alfond Scholarship Foundation

Early Wealth Building Integration Series: Advancing Best Practices for 530A Integration

The Early Wealth Building Integration Series aims to elevate research from the early wealth building field to support the integration of 530A accounts within local contexts. Through quarterly virtual webinars, these sessions will cover topics ranging from enrollment strategies, financial capability, family engagement and education, and best practices to achieve higher education outcomes for young adults.

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. Please email [email protected] with any questions or accommodation requests.

Support for this event is provided by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. For more on Urban’s funding policies, go to urban.org/about/organizational-principles.