The emerging institutional theory of saving pays special attention to the role of institutional factors
in individual saving and asset accumulation (Beverly et al., 2008; Schreiner & Sherraden, 2007;
Sherraden, Schreiner, & Beverly, 2003). This theory argues that institutional barriers (e.g., lack of
access to financial institutions and information, restrictive asset eligibility rules in public assistance
programs) may contribute to low saving rates, especially among low-income families, and that the
poor can save with institutional supports (e.g., incentives and information) that fit their needs.
Institutional theory calls for policy interventions that facilitate low-income families’ asset
accumulation.