A Comparative Evaluation on the Impact of Financial Coaching in Increasing Financial Capability for Low-Income Individuals in an Employment Program

People living under the poverty line are more likely to practice negative financial behaviors and have low financial capability than those living at a higher socioeconomic level, this hinders low income individuals from properly navigating the complex financial market. Recent research has found that financial coaching bundled with employment trainings, income support, and financial trainings/workshops will increase financial capability. However, additional studies on the impact of financial coaching in increasing financial capability are needed. The following research aimed to contribute to the existing literature on the impact of financial coaching in the context of an integrated service model by analyzing a financial empowerment program for low income individuals in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. Two groups were compared: the experimental group received employment trainings, income support, financial training workshops, and financial coaching sessions while the comparison group received the first three services but did not participate in financial coaching sessions. This allowed researchers to compare and the assess impact of financial coaching on financial capability long term. While financial coaching did not have significant impacts on all components of financial capability, we see improvement in two of the financial outcomes: income and savings. Findings indicate that those that are male, employed, and banked (i.e., have a checking account) might benefit more from all the services provided in this program. In conclusion, this study emphasized the need for the agency to reexamine their evaluation plan and expand on certain services such as the employment trainings and the income support provided to increase client retention and data collection. Recommendations on how to improve the program’s evaluation plan are included at the end. Further investigation is needed to validate these findings using an experimental study with a larger sample size