Resource Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Race + Ethnicity

Administrative Burdens and Economic Insecurity Among Black, Latino, and White Families

This study investigates how administrative burdens influence differential receipt of income transfers after a family member loses a job, looking at Unemployment Insurance, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The study analyzes how administrative burdens in U.S. income support programs (TANF, UI, SNAP) impact access to benefits for Black, Latino, and White families after job loss.

It finds that increased administrative burdens in TANF and UI, but reduced burdens in SNAP, have contributed to lower income replacement rates for Black and Latino families, though disparities have narrowed over time, especially with improved SNAP participation and when accounting for benefit underreporting. Reducing administrative burdens could help decrease racial-ethnic inequalities in economic insecurity.