COMMUNITY MATTERS
		Financial Instability: Many Utahns Living on the Edge

In 2005, United Way of Salt Lake (UWSL) convened a group of bankruptcy experts for a research project to further understand the aspects of financial instability that contribute to Utah’s high bankruptcy rate. The resulting report, "Living on the Edge: Utahns’ Perspectives on Bankruptcy and Financial Stability," shows that despite demonstrating high levels of financial awareness and commitment to saving, Utahns are very concerned about insufficient income, their inability to save, and living paycheck to paycheck.

"Living on the Edge: Utahns' Perspectives on Bankruptcy and Financial Security" is the result of months of research, interviews and contributions by financial experts and other specialists throughout the community. To give context to research findings, eight focus groups were convened. Filers who participated in the focus groups identified 39 "risk factors" including such things as disability, job loss, divorce, substance abuse, overspending, excessive debt, lack of health insurance, insufficient income, poor financial management skills, and high housing costs. (Read the full article...)
 
 Deborah S. Bayle
 President and CEO