Could Universal Basic Income Help Children?

The idea of a universal basic income—a taxpayer-funded minimum monthly payment meant to reduce poverty and improve opportunity—is alluring. That’s especially true for low-income mothers of newborns. Unconditional cash payments could help parents meet their babies’ needs during their crucial development years, and could spare them some of the hassle of navigating a bureaucratic maze of dozens of different means-tested welfare programs. Yet a randomized trial that did just that came up empty-handed. Read Full Article »