This report contains the main findings from the research that comprises the 2018 Prosperity Now Scorecard. It is a departure from the tone and format of our past Scorecard reports, but a necessary departure if we are to make a meaningful contribution to current national and state policy discussions.

Seeing this moment as an opportunity to take our national discourse to task, we have written this report to dispel the myths in problematic narratives that persist and form the foundation of economic policies established in the White House, on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures from coast to coast.

In addition, this report intends to:

• Highlight new data and emerging trends from the Scorecard that shed light on society’s hidden (and not so hidden) assumptions about who deserves to benefit from our national prosperity.
• Name the policies and practices that create and perpetuate the financial challenges facing millions of households in the US.
• Recommend moveable, meaningful and manageable policies that remove barriers to opportunity and propel people toward prosperity.

We invite you to learn more about the Scorecard and help us spread the word by visiting scorecard.prosperitynow.org.