Making Wealth Possible for All
Commonwealth is a national nonprofit building financial security and opportunity for financially vulnerable people through innovation and partnerships.
NEW REPORT
New Research Finds that Over 54% of People Living on Low to Moderate Income are Investors
In early 2025, we conducted a National Perceptions and Habits Survey of more than 2,750 respondents from households living on low and moderate income to learn more about how and why they choose to invest. Designed with input from key industry stakeholders, we gained interesting insight into the behaviors, motivations, and challenges of newer investors, established investors, and non-investors. With the support of The BlackRock Foundation, these findings are now available in a complete report, Understanding Today’s Retail Investor: Examining the Behaviors, Motivations, and Challenges of New Investors Living on Low and Moderate Income.
Featured
The Overlooked Link Between Student Loan Repayment and Retirement Readiness
Many workers must choose between paying student loans and saving for retirement. A new provision in the SECURE 2.0 Act allows employers to help employees do both through retirement matching for student loan payments.
Supporting Employees with Student Debt: A Strategic Business Advantage
Millions of employees carry student debt, which has the potential to trigger financial stress and undermine workplace performance, retention, and long-term financial security. This policy-focused blog explores how employers can use emerging federal rules and benefit levers to support employees, reduce debt burdens, and strengthen organizational outcomes.
Unlocking Opportunity: How U.S. Bank and Commonwealth Turn Deposit Windfall Moments into Financial Security
U.S. Bank and Commonwealth teamed up in a bold, cross-sector partnership to help clients turn tax refunds and bonuses into lasting savings. Using behavioral science and a test-and-learn approach, the pilot introduced a simple pre-commitment feature that encouraged saving at the right moment.
Research & Insights
At Commonwealth, we share our original research and practical solutions—through briefs, research reports, videos, and infographics—to provide you with innovative ideas, practical insights, and the tools you need to act.
Featured Research
Building an Emergency Savings Program That Works: A Strategic Approach for Employers
This case study with The Fresh Market offers strategic guidance for employers on building and launching a multi-solution emergency savings benefit program. Dive into the details of implementing both digital and in-person emergency savings solutions, as well as providing access to the $1,000 emergency withdrawal provision under SECURE 2.0
Driving Impact: How a Large Healthcare Employer Created Emergency Savings and Retirement Outcomes at Scale
Discover how a major healthcare employer, in partnership with Commonwealth as part of BlackRock’s Emergency Savings Initiative, achieved record engagement with a workplace emergency savings program thereby supporting retirement plan participation offering valuable lessons for employers to optimize their benefits.
Earning Trust with Every Interaction
Conversational AI has enabled financial services providers to support customers 24/7 at a scale that would be impossible with live agents, and has become a ubiquitous part of the digital banking landscape.
Events & News
Our speakers’ programs and media placements provide an opportunity to discover new data, receive expert insights, and strategize for organizational success. Join us in conversation as we work towards a more equitable and prosperous financial future for all people living in the United States.
recent news & upcoming events
The Wall Street Journal: More Working-Class Americans Than Ever Are Investing in the Stock Market
Commonwealth CEO Timothy Flacke is quoted in this article from the Wall Street Journal with findings from our report, Understanding Today’s Retail Investor: Examining the Behaviors, Motivations, and Challenges of New Investors Living on Low and Moderate Incomes.
Breaking the Savings Paradox
In a webinar held on June 10, 2025, Commonwealth, BlackRock, Compass Financial Partners, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company, and Voya Financial discussed the wide-ranging needs of employees in a geographically diverse workforce, and how a suite of emergency savings and liquidity options can best serve workers, and where the new provision fits into those options.
Rethinking Retirement: How SECURE 2.0 Provision Can Protect & Reinvigorate Plan Participation
How often have you heard someone say they’re not saving for retirement because they can’t afford to risk locking up their money for the long term? What if they had more financial flexibility when the unexpected arises? A provision within the SECURE 2.0 legislation offers an opportunity to add this near-term financial flexibility to retirement savings. One of the policy’s provisions allows employees to withdraw up to $1,000 penalty-free from their 401(k)-retirement account once a year for financial needs relating to personal or family emergency expenses.
Our Partners and Supporters
To advance innovation and systemic change, we collaborate with employers, financial services firms, fintechs, foundations, policymakers, retirement recordkeepers, payroll platforms, and workplace solutions providers. Financially vulnerable people living in the United States face complex challenges, and together with our partners, we make financial security possible for millions of people.
