EXPRESS: Using Expenditure Reframes to Increase Interest in Claiming Government Benefits

Abstract

Millions of eligible lower-income people do not apply for government benefits. Increasing interest in applying for these benefits is a crucial concern for marketers and economists, as the underutilization of benefits limits their effectiveness. This research proposes that expenditure reframes , descriptions translating monetary amounts into expense categories, can increase interest in government benefits. Expenditure reframes enhance a benefit’s psychological value, helping consumers better understand its impact on their financial lives. Evidence from a large-scale preregistered field experiment ( N = 14,267) aimed at encouraging lower-income individuals to claim a tax credit demonstrates that expenditure reframe messages increased interest, increasing visits to the claiming website. A second preregistered large-scale field experiment among Medicaid recipients ( N = 71,939) identifies a boundary condition for the effect of expenditure reframes on interest. A third preregistered large-scale field experiment replicates the efficacy of expenditure reframes ( N = 36,081) and highlights how the expense type featured in the reframe moderates these effects. Results from three preregistered online experiments support these findings and further elucidate the impact of expenditure reframes on psychological value. This work underscores how marketers, practitioners, and policymakers shape perceptions of government benefits and illustrates key considerations for designing effective outreach campaigns targeting lower-income households.