Lower interest rates affect financial markets, investment behavior, and economic decision-making. Less visible, but no less important, are the ways these monetary conditions influence how families invest in skills, education, and human capital, with long-run consequences for economic mobility across generations.

On Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. CT, join the Chicago Fed’s Economic Mobility Project for a virtual event, Human Capital in a Time of Low Real Rates, examining how low-interest rate environments impact human capital investment and opportunity. Fed Economist Jung Sakong will present findings from his paper, Human Capital in a Time of Low Real Rates. The paper develops a macroeconomic framework linking persistently low real interest rates to differences in human capital investment across families and examines how these dynamics affect long-run labor market outcomes and intergenerational economic mobility.

Following the research presentation, a moderated panel discussion will explore the policy implications of these findings, including what they mean for education systems, workforce development, and efforts to expand economic opportunity in low-rate environments. Panelists will include:

• Elizabeth Akers, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
• Jonathan Rothwell, Principal Economist, Gallup
• Marie Lynn Miranda, Chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago

The discussion will be moderated by Samantha Chatman, weekend anchor for ABC7 Chicago.