J. Michael Collins is the Fetzer Family Chair in Consumer & Personal Finance in the School of Human Ecology, a Professor at the La Follette School of Public Affairs, a family economics specialist for the Division of Extension, the Associate Director for Training and Research at the Institute for Research on Poverty, and an affiliate of the Center for Demography and Ecology, the UW Survey Center and the School of Social Work. He developed and led the UW Retirement and Disability Research Consortium research center from 2018-2025.
Collins studies consumer decision-making in the financial marketplace, including the role of public policy in influencing credit, savings and investment choices. He is involved in studies of household finance and well-being supported by leading foundations and federal agencies. In addition to the edited volume, A Fragile Balance: Emergency Savings and Liquid Resources for Low-Income Consumers, Collins co-authored the textbook: Financial Capability and Asset Building: A Textbook for Professionals (Oxford Press, with Birkemeier and Sherraden)
Collins brings two decades of applied experiences and consulting to his research. He co-founded SpringFour, an online resource for people facing financial challenges. He also worked for NeighborWorks America (Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation) and the Millennial Housing Commission.
He holds a Masters from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, a PhD from Cornell University, and a BS from Miami University (OH).
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ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2280-2130
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