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Financial Literacy

Financial literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, and use financial information to make decisions about personal finances. Everyone needs financial literacy skills to get the most out of their money and work toward their financial goals. 

You can use the resources on this page to cultivate financial literacy in your community.

Learn more about how to use the resources on this page.

Why Teach Financial Literacy Skills?

The community members you support may have a wide range of experiences and comfort levels with money. Income, childhood experiences, cultural norms, and many other factors can shape how people navigate financial information. Financial literacy skills can help people: 

  • Plan and save for the future
  • Compare costs before making a purchase or securing a mortgage or other financing
  • Use bank accounts and credit or debit cards
  • Research student loans and other financial aid options
  • Avoid scams and financial fraud

By teaching financial literacy skills, you can give everyone the skills they need to make informed decisions about money.

Explore More Financial Literacy Resources

Lesson Plans and Programs

Use these lesson plans and programs to teach key financial literacy skills.   

A husband and wife review a laptop screen between them while they sit at a kitchen island.

MyMoney.gov

MyMoney.gov

Created by the Financial Literacy Education Commission (FLEC) 
Lesson plans, games, and other resources designed to boost consumers’ financial literacy 

man sits on a couch using a laptop with the Money Smart image open in the browser window

Money Smart Financial Education Program

Money Smart Financial Education Program

Created by the FDIC
An award-winning education program that helps people of all ages build key financial skills 

Resources to Use and Share with Your Community

Share these resources with community members — or use them as inspiration to plan financial literacy programming.  

A woman with dark hair and glasses sits at a table reviewing documents and using a calculator.

How Money Smart Are You?

How Money Smart Are You?

Created by the FDIC
Interactive games and other resources based on FDIC’s Money Smart education program

A father and son put coins in a small, pink piggy bank.

Consumer Resource Center

Consumer Resource Center

Created by the FDIC
Resources to educate and protect consumers and connect people with financial resources in their communities

#GetBanked

Created by the FDIC
Campaign that teaches consumers how to open a bank account online 

A young Black woman wearing a light green hair wrap points to a series of 8 infographics taped to the wall.

Financial Literacy and Education Resource Center

Financial Literacy and Education Resource Center

Created by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)
Tools and resources to help consumers make smarter financial decisions

A young boy with light skin and short dark hair plays a game on his tablet in a blanket fort.

World of Cents Game

World of Cents Game

Created by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)
Interactive game for kids ages 5 and up, designed to teach the value of money and basic math skills

Two older white men, one with his arm over the other's shoulder, smile while wearing Veteran hats.

Financial literacy Resources for Veterans

Financial literacy Resources for Veterans

Created by the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Resources to help Veterans and their families manage, secure, and protect their financial well-being

Training Resources for Professionals

Use these resources to build your own knowledge of financial literacy and learn how to teach financial literacy skills in your community. 

A woman with dark curly hair shows her father something on a laptop screen while sitting at a table.

Teaching Skills that Matter: Financial Literacy

Teaching Skills that Matter: Financial Literacy

Created by the U.S. Department of Education (ED)
Financial literacy lesson plan for adult learners

A dark blue map of the United States.

2021 National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households

2021 National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households

Created by the FDIC
National survey on financial habits like bank account ownership, use of prepaid cards, use of check cashing and money transfer services, and more

Real-World Examples: Financial Literacy in Action

Find out how libraries, museums, and educational institutions across the country are promoting financial literacy. 

Money Smart Newsletter: Success Stories

Created by the FDIC
Learn about Friends Against Fraud, a workshop created by the Elder Justice Committee at the Guilford County Family Justice Center in North Carolina.