SFS Cavalcade North America 2026
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Virginia
May 18-21, 2026
Conference Agenda
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
Please note that all times are shown in the time zone of the conference. The current conference time is: 18th June 2026, 06:50:43pm EDT
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Daily Overview |
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Track W2-3: Household Finance and Retirement Behavior
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| Presentations | ||
Wealth Accumulation in College Savings Accounts and Educational Opportunities Vanderbilt University Among undergraduate freshmen, 529 college savings plans have become more prevalent than student loans, yet their educational impacts remain largely unexplored. This paper examines how wealth gains in 529 plans shape educational opportunities using variation in target-date fund designs within these plans. I find that 529 wealth gains substantially increase four-year college attendance, with the effect per $1,000 similar to that of targeted grant aid. These wealth gains also reduce student loan borrowing and boost private K-12 school enrollment. However, 529 wealth gains accrue disproportionately to upper-income households, exacerbating the four-year college attendance gaps across both socioeconomic and racial lines.
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