J. Michael Collins

J. Michael Collins is the Fetzer Family Chair in Consumer & Personal Finance and a Professor of Consumer Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School of Human Ecology. He also holds affiliations with the La Follette School of Public Affairs, the Institute for Research on Poverty, and the Center for Demography and Ecology. His research focuses on consumer decision-making in financial markets, public policy impacts on credit/savings, and household well-being. Collins has a PhD in Policy Analysis from Cornell University, an MPP from Harvard, and a BS from Miami University.

Key research areas include financial inclusion barriers (e.g., for formerly incarcerated individuals), housing quality trends for low-income households, and the role of state policies in economic resilience. He co-authored Financial Capability and Asset Building: A Textbook for Professionals and led the UW Retirement and Disability Research Consortium (2018–2025). His applied experience includes co-founding SpringFour, an organization aiding financially vulnerable populations.

Collins’ recent work explores pandemic-era economic impacts on older adults, state-level policy disparities in unemployment insurance, and the long-term effects of minor bank account laws. His interdisciplinary approach integrates public policy, behavioral economics, and demographic analysis to address systemic inequities in financial systems.

Collins has advised federal agencies and authored over 100 publications. His grants include funding from the National Science Foundation, Russell Sage Foundation, and U.S. Department of Agriculture. He leads training programs for professionals working with vulnerable families and maintains active roles in multiple university research centers.