💸 Want to Boost a Baby’s Future? Science Says Give Cash — No Strings Attached
May 8, 2025
What happens when low-income families receive monthly, no-strings-attached cash starting at a child’s birth? The 2024 Baby’s First Years study found that a $333/month unconditional transfer led to increased spending on books, toys, childcare, and savings — without reducing employment. Parents reported less financial stress and made developmentally supportive choices. This is the first U.S. RCT to show that early, unconditional income boosts family investments in children. The takeaway: cash works. It’s simple, flexible, and effective — and it challenges the idea that poverty must be managed with complex rules. Sometimes, the best policy is just to trust parents.
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