Skip to content

The American Prosperity and Stability Act

One-Page Summary

Published January 2026

Nearly half of American adults lack savings to cover three months of expenses. While most can handle a single emergency, they have no buffer against job loss, illness, or sustained disruption. Housing, healthcare, childcare, and education costs have outpaced wages for decades, leaving families without the financial runway to plan, invest in themselves, or weather setbacks. This fragility is not a personal failing -- it is a structural problem that undermines families, communities, and democracy itself.

The American Prosperity and Stability Act (APSA) rejects the premise that half the citizens of the world's wealthiest nation should live in financial survival mode. It establishes a stable monthly income foundation for every eligible adult, funded by the American Prosperity Contribution (APC) -- a broad-based contribution on goods and services. Businesses that earn revenue in the American economy contribute to the foundation that makes that economy work, and adults who need stability support receive it. The goal is not merely to help families meet the needs of each day, but to provide the platform from which they can plan and grow their prosperity.

Key Provisions:

  • Monthly stability payment of up to $628 for adults with zero income, tapering smoothly as income rises -- no benefit cliffs, no punishment for working harder

  • $200 baseline payment received by all eligible adults below the income threshold, ensuring broad participation across income levels

  • Individual-based eligibility for adults 18+ with AGI below approximately $150,600 and net worth below $5 million -- covering 90% of American adults

  • Benefits accrue from Day 1 -- Bridge Period funding enables immediate delivery without waiting for full APC implementation

  • 20% of APC revenue to states (~$312 billion annually), distributed by population share with full state autonomy over allocation

  • Automatic adjustment with all thresholds anchored to the Federal Poverty Level

Primary Benefits:

  • Household stability: Families gain a reliable income floor that enables planning, absorbs emergencies, and reduces financial stress

  • Stronger labor markets: Workers can negotiate from security rather than desperation, improving wages and conditions while enabling career transitions and entrepreneurship

  • Macroeconomic resilience: Stable household income creates stable consumer demand, helping businesses plan while reducing the severity of downturns

  • State fiscal stability: Predictable revenue distributed by transparent formula, with states retaining full democratic control over allocation decisions

Shared contribution. Shared prosperity. Shared stability.

Prepared by: Albert E. Ramos Director, The American Policy Architecture Institute

Contact: info@policyarchitecture.org Website: www.policyarchitecture.org