What makes FES truly unique is that the children of FES families join the study when they become adults. This feature allows us to understand how families change from one generation to the next.

The FES began in 1968 with 5,000 families from all across the United States. Thanks to your participation, FES has been used to understand the progress of Americans over the last half century. FES tracks not only income and wealth but other important aspects of life as well like health and wellbeing.

The FES is directed by faculty at the University of Michigan. FES data are used by researchers, policy analysts, and teachers around the globe, and have been cited in nearly 7,000 peer-reviewed publications.

Please see the Study Information Sheet for more information.