Gateway 8

Earning a Decent Living and Building Wealth

A job with benefits that pays at least enough for a family to be self-sufficient and to build assets is the surest path into the Cycle of Opportunity.

Individuals and families who earn enough to be self-sufficient and to build assets are more likely to enjoy financial stability through retirement and be able to pass on opportunities to future generations.

Individuals and families who do not earn enough to be self-sufficient are likely to cut corners, such as going without insurance, threatening their overall well-being. They are also less likely to be able to prepare for retirement by building wealth, and less likely to be able to help their children get ahead.

To measure how well Coloradans are doing getting well-paying jobs and building wealth through asset accumulation, we have selected the following four indicators:

Indicator 1: Earning a self sufficient wage

Earning a self sufficient wage is critical to moving families and individuals onto the Cycle of Opportunity.

Indicator 2: Home ownership

Owning a home provides shelter for a family and is the largest source of wealth for many.

Indicator 3: Families experiencing asset poverty

Families need savings to allow them to weather an emergency, such as the loss of a job or an illness.

Indicator 4: Households with bank accounts

Traditional bank accounts help provide financial stability and tools for building savings and home ownership.

Read the whole chapter on Gateway 8:
Earning a Decent Living and Building Wealth in
Colorado: The State of Opportunity

2002 report • 2005 report

The Bell Policy Center's Gateways to Opportunity

Opportunity is not generated by a single action. To succeed in life, individuals must pass through a series of gateways:

1. A Healthy Birth

2. A Safe and Stimulating Childhood

3. Building a Solid Base for Literacy

4. Establishing a Healthy Lifestyle in Childhood and Adolescence

5. Leaving High School with a Diploma and the Skills to Succeed

6. Access to Education and Training for Adults

7. A Healthy Adult Life

8. Earning a Decent Living and Building Wealth

9. A Financially Secure and Healthy Retirement

These gateways are like steps on a long staircase. Missing one doesn’t mean you cannot succeed, but it does make the next step much steeper. Miss too many and the climb may become impossible.

Together, these gateways constitute the Cycle of Opportunity — those experiences and events that make it possible to realize one’s economic, social and personal potential.

Read more about the other gateways by clicking on the titles above.