A decade after the financial crisis, Americans have made uneven recoveries from the the Great Recession that followed. Today, the typical white middle-class family’s net worth is still about 19% below where it was in 2007, according to the Federal Reserve. And for blacks, it’s down 40%. The profound imbalance in the accumulation of wealth during this period – an accumulation emanating from investments rather than salaries – has widened inequality of opportunity and shaped which Americans have secure futures. ISR’s Fabian Pfeffer says: “Over and over, you see that family wealth is an important determinant of opportunity for the next generation, over and above income. Wealth serves as a private safety net that allows you to behave differently and plan differently.”

More about Pfeffer: Wealth provided some Americans a “private safety net” during economic recovery >