About the Agency
The Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) is conducted every three years by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the federal agency that is the headquarters of the nation's central bank. The main purpose of the survey is to help the government and, ultimately, the public at large understand the financial condition of families in the United States and to study the effects of changes in the economy. The survey data include information on families’ balance sheets, pensions, income, and demographic characteristics. No other study for the country collects comparable information and the data are widely used by government agencies, academia, and other research institutions. The data support a wide variety of research on topics including income and wealth inequality, saving, investment, debt payments, pension coverage, business ownership, use of financial institutions, credit discrimination, and use of financial markets. The study is sponsored by the Federal Reserve Board in cooperation with the Department of the Treasury. Since 1992, data have been collected by the NORC at the University of Chicago.
For more information on FRB Microeconomic Surveys Unit (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) products and programs, email RS-SCFSAP@frb.gov.