FDIC Consumer News - Summer 2016
Money Smart at 15: The FDIC’s Free Financial Education Curriculum
The key to building a financially secure future is making financially sound decisions starting today. For the past 15 years, the FDIC has offered free financial education resources through the Money Smart program that can help consumers make more informed choices on matters from shopping for a bank account to avoiding unnecessary fees.
Money Smart materials are developed to help individuals learn on their own (including podcasts suitable for all ages to learn financial lessons on the go) or in a classroom, workshop or seminar. They are available online. The curriculum also has been translated in multiple languages and is available in large-print and Braille editions. And, the FDIC’s Money Smart News is a quarterly, online newsletter featuring tips, updates and success stories for financial educators. It includes articles on how the curriculum is used to help consumers of all ages.
Since its inception in 2001, Money Smart has grown from financial education just for adults to a range of curriculums including ones for children Pre-K through 12th grade, adults age 62 or older, and entrepreneurs hoping to achieve their dream of successful business ownership. Along the way, more than three million people have received training using Money Smart.
“Our research shows that adults who participated in Money Smart training were more likely to open deposit accounts, save money, use a budget and comparison shop for financial services than they were before the training,” said Luke W. Reynolds, chief of the FDIC’s Outreach and Program Development Section.
To learn more about the Money Smart family of products and resources, go to www.fdic.gov/moneysmart.