Blogging for Change

Financial literacy begins at home

by Jesse Campbell on
9/5/2013
in Personal Finance

As children begin heading back to school, it's important that parents remember to embrace their role as financial educators.

“We know that children who receive a solid financial education have a better chance of developing into financially responsible adults,” said Jo Kerstetter, national spokesperson for MMI.  “But that education is rarely provided at school.”

Recent studies have revealed the following:

  • 81% of parents feel they are responsible for their children’s financial education. (Doughmain.com)
  • 76% of teens feel they should start learning about money and savings at kindergarten, but only 29% report that such programs already exist. (Junior Achievers)
  • Over 70% of Americans feel that US teens don’t understand the basics of money management. (PracticalMoneySkills.com)
  • 40% of American adults would grade themselves a C or worse in financial literacy. (NFCC.org)

“Parents may feel unqualified to act as teachers,” said Kerstetter, “but simply sharing what they do know would have a substantial impact.”

Where parents may feel their financial expertise is lacking, MMI is here to provide educational resources, including lesson plans, articles, calculators, videos, webinars and more. With time and the right tools, any parent can provide their child with a topnotch financial education.

Jesse Campbell photo.

Jesse Campbell is the Content Manager at MMI, with over ten years of experience creating valuable educational materials that help families through everyday and extraordinary financial challenges.

Recommended Articles

Man sitting in front of pile of bills, trying to understand his options.
Professional Budget Advice
Make the most of every dollar and start building toward your dreams! Budget counseling is FREE and available 24/7.
Learn More
Learn more
  • Better Business Bureau A+ rating Better Business Bureau
    MMI is proud to have achieved an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a nonprofit organization focused on promoting and improving marketplace trust. The BBB investigates charges of fraud against both consumers and businesses, sets standards for truthfulness in advertising, and evaluates the trustworthiness of businesses and charities, providing a score from A+ (highest) to F (lowest).
  • Financial Counseling Association of America Financial Counseling Association of America
    MMI is a proud member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA), a national association representing financial counseling companies that provide consumer credit counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, and various financial education services.
  • Trustpilot Trustpilot
    MMI is rated as “Excellent” (4.9/5) by reviewers on Trustpilot, a global, online consumer review platform dedicated to openness and transparency. Since 2007, Trustpilot has received over 116 million customer reviews for nearly 500,000 different websites and businesses. See what others are saying about the work we do.
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development - Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Housing and Urban Development
    MMI is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide consumer housing counseling. The mission of HUD is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD provides support services directly and through approved, local agencies like MMI.
  • Council on Accreditation Council On Accreditation
    MMI is proudly accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. COA’s thorough, peer-reviewed accreditation process is designed to ensure that organizations like MMI are providing the highest standard of service and support for clients and employees alike.
  • National Foundation for Credit Counseling National Foundation for Credit Counseling
    MMI is a longstanding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), the nation’s largest nonprofit financial counseling organization. Founded in 1951, the NFCC’s mission is to promote financially responsible behavior and help member organizations like MMI deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.