Margarita Tsoutsoura
Associate Professor of Finance, Olin Business School
- Email: tsoutsoura@nospam.wustl.edu
I study how economic policies can support low income individuals and lower income inequality. I examine the effect of these policies in the growth of areas with high share of minorities. One of the policies I currently study is the impact of the stimulus payments provided to U.S. individuals through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES, Act. Comprising $2.2 trillion in spending, this bill included $300 billion in stimulus payments to individuals at the onset of the pandemic. Using data on the universe of U.S. federal tax returns for individuals and firms, I estimate the effects of stimulus payments on labor market outcomes, especially to individuals in areas with high minority share. Another type of policies I am currently interested in is policies providing Universal Basic Income.