Financial Literacy: An Overview of Practice, Research, and Policy

TLDR

Financial literacy has become increasingly important as technological, market, and legislative changes have made the financial services industry more complex, prompting concern that many consumers lack the knowledge and tools needed to manage their finances effectively. Studies indicate that financial‑literacy training can improve decision‑making, yet they also highlight unresolved questions about the optimal methods, settings, and timing for such training, with recent research on personal money‑management styles and behavioral traits offering guidance for designing effective programs.

Abstract

Attention to financial literacy has grown in recent years, in large part because technological, market, and legislative changes have resulted in a more complex financial services industry that requires consumers to be more actively involved in managing their finances. Consumer and community interest groups, banking companies, government agencies, and policymakers, among others, have become concerned that many consumers lack a working knowledge of financial concepts and the tools they need to make decisions most advantageous to their economic well-being. As a result, considerable resources have been devoted to financial literacy, with a wide range of organizations providing training, including banks, consumer and community groups, employers, and government agencies. Overall, studies suggest that financial literacy training can lead to better decisionmaking; however, the findings raise numerous questions about the best means of providing that training, the most appropriate setting, and the most opportune timing. Findings from recent research on personal money management styles, combined with awareness of human behavioral traits, offer insights that may be useful in developing successful training programs and strategies.