She received her Ph.D. (2002) and M.A. (1998) degrees in Economics at the University of Michigan. She also has a B.S. degree (1991) in Policy Analysis from Cornell University. While at Michigan, Sevak received the Steven Sandell Dissertation award from the MRRC for her research on the effect of capital gains on retirement behavior. Her research portfolio also includes work on the financial consequences of widowhood, the interaction of welfare reform and the SSI program, and the responsiveness of retiree residential location to property taxes. back to the top.