Assets for Independence Act (AFIA) is an American law which provides $125 million over five years to fund Individual Development Accounts (IDA). Individual Development Accounts are matched savings accounts that help low-income people save for a particular goal, such as buying a home, paying for post-secondary education, or starting or expanding a small business.
History
After seeing the success of IDAs, Congress passed the Assets for Independence Act (AFIA), providing $125 million over five years to fund IDAs. The Assets for Independence Act was passed as part of the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and Training and Educational Services Act of 1998. The AFI Program is administered by the Office of Community Services, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. There are currently hundreds of IDA programs across the United States. CFED is well known in the field as the expert on Individual Development Accounts, as well as other asset building programs and policies.