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First Quarter 2025
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Collection: Financial Literacy Updates
Have a financial literacy event worth noting? Rolling out a new financial education initiative or product? Contact OCC Community Affairs.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) Financial Literacy Update is a quarterly e-newsletter that lists events, initiatives, and other resources offered by the OCC and other government agencies and organizations.
Personal finance is becoming increasingly complex, leading to the need for more formal education for youths. School systems across the United States are developing educational programs and policies regarding some form of financial literacy education. In June 2024, California became the 26th state to require that high school students take a personal finance course to graduate. Currently, half of all U.S. states require financial education in order to graduate from public high school, and in 2023, 23.6% of public high school students had access to at least a one-semester course in personal finance and this number is expected to double in 2024, according to Next Gen Personal Finance, NGPF's 2024 State of Financial Education Report (PDF), March 2024.
This trend toward in-school personal finance education creates opportunities for banks to partner with school systems to provide financial education and, in some cases, to advance financial inclusion by offering banking services. While state agencies, local school districts, and individual teachers work on developing and implementing new policies, there is an opportunity for banks to provide related support and encourage financial inclusion. There are many examples of banks providing financial education and account access in school settings.
Banks that provide support to in-school financial literacy programs that primarily benefit low- or moderate-income students or families may qualify for Community Reinvestment Act consideration. As described in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) Community Developments Fact Sheet, "Financial Capability," activities that could qualify for Community Reinvestment Act consideration may include the following:
In addition to providing financial education courses and simulated learning environments, banks can consider implementing school-based branches. The March 2017 edition of the OCC's Community Developments Insights, "School-Based Bank Savings Programs: Bringing Financial Education to Students," provides information on these programs.
The OCC's Financial Literacy Resource Directory provides links to classroom resources from nonprofit organizations and federal agencies. Additional free financial literacy training resources for K-12 include the following:
59th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning University of Miami School of Law, Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning January 13–17, Orlando, Fla. A faculty of experts will explore today's important tax and nontax planning issues, including the planning implications of recent or anticipated legislation or regulations.
Financial Services Professionals Institute National Association of Financial and Insurance Advisors January 26–29, Nashville, Tenn. This year's conference topics include employee stock ownership plans, financial gerontology, estate planning, opportunity zones, post-mortem estate planning, Social Security optimization, and special needs planning.
NeighborWorks Training Institute NeighborWorks America February 10–14, Philadelphia This conference will include in-person courses (many new or updated) for all levels of experience, plus peer learning and networking activities.
2025 Horizons: Exploring the New Frontier of Retirement Planning Knowledge The American College of Financial Services March 3–5, Coronado, Calif. Topics will include philanthropy, retirement tax planning, controlling healthcare costs, supporting widowed spouses in retirement, Social Security, individual retirement account planning, housing options, and retirement psychology.
2025 Investment Advisor Compliance Conference Investment Adviser Association (IAA) March 5–7, Washington, D.C. This year's conference, "Effective Strategies and Best Practices," will provide investment advisors with the most up-to-date information available on the changing regulatory landscape. Speakers will include Securities and Exchange Commission officials, industry professionals, legal experts, and the IAA team.
Experience 2025 Investments & Wealth Institute March 30–April 2, Austin, Texas This conference is designed for wealth and investment managers and teams from across the financial advice industry and will offer tracks on investment, wealth, retirement, and practice management.
Financial Planning Association Retreat 2025 Financial Planning Association (FPA) April 28–30, Chicago The FPA retreat is for Certified Financial Planners. It will offer training, networking, and recreational activities to help financial planners learn, collaborate, and de-stress. Planned topics include attracting and retaining top talent, marketing and branding, estate planning, financial psychology, tax updates, and the future of the U.S. and global economy.
ABA Check Fraud Claim Directory American Bankers Association This directory provides contact information for banks needing to file a check warranty breach claim with another financial institution. The directory is searchable by bank name, city, state, or FDIC number so banks can easily find a person or email address at the bank to help resolve a warranty breach claim.
American Savings Education Council Bipartisan Policy Center This organization comprises more than 100 partner organizations and has recently been relaunched. The organization convenes stakeholders and facilitates open dialogue to advance key issues surrounding financial literacy and well-being.
Collegemoneymatters.org College Money Matters This nonprofit website is designed to help families get smarter about paying for college. It provides free information on applying, getting financial aid, and paying and borrowing for college, as well as useful tips for parents and guardians. No sign-in is required and the site is ad-free.
Consumer News Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC Consumer News is the FDIC's monthly newsletter to consumers, providing practical guidance on how to become a smarter, safer user of financial services, including helpful hints, quick tips, and common-sense strategies to protect and stretch your dollars. You can also subscribe to FDIC Consumer News by texting your email address to 468311.
Customer Advisory: AI Won't Turn Trading Bots into Money Machines Commodity Futures Trading Commission This customer advisory explains how customers can assess risks of artificial intelligence (AI) trading strategies that promise high returns.
Customer Advisory: Six Warning Signs of Online Financial Romance Frauds Commodity Futures Trading Commission This customer advisory provides information on warning signs of text and online frauds.
Deposit Insurance Education Materials Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation These materials provide quick access to basic information and comprehensive deposit insurance information.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Essentials Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education This self-paced online course is designed to give financial professionals tools and resources to better serve clients from all backgrounds.
Earned Income Tax Credit Fact Sheet (PDF) Office of the Comptroller of the Currency This Community Developments Fact Sheet explains the purpose of the Earned Income Tax Credit and summarizes the eligibility requirements for consumers to qualify for it. It also explains how banks can service the unbanked or underbanked by educating their customers about the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Econ Lowdown Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis This resource for teachers and students provides classroom management tools, online modules, articles, videos, and podcasts for teaching economics and personal finance.
Elder Fraud Prevention and Response Networks Development Guide Consumer Financial Protection Bureau This guide helps community organizations start or revitalize elder fraud prevention and response networks to protect older adults from financial exploitation.
FAFSA Financial Aid Toolkit U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid This resource provides an overview of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act with fact sheets, videos, and infographics for career and college access professionals. Outreach videos are available at FSAOutreach on YouTube.
FAFSA Information, Guidance, and Training U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid The Office of Federal Student Aid shares regular FAFSA updates, which includes all information, guidance, and training related to implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act and the FUTURE Act.
Federal Student Loan Borrowers U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid This resource provides information for federal student loan borrowers, including information on income-driven repayment plans, including the recently initiated Saving on a Valuable Education Plan. The site also has resources to communicate with students, parents, and borrowers about managing their loans and navigating the return to repayment.
Fighting Back Against Elder Financial Exploitation American Bankers Association Foundation and Federal Bureau of Investigation This brief guide provides information for banks to protect their customers from financial exploitation, including theft and scams. The guide includes red flags for elder financial exploitation and actions that banks can take to recognize, report, and respond to exploitation.
Financial Abuse Literacy Resource Annuity.org This site lists warning signs of financial abuse, explains how to tell whether someone is being financially abused, and provides resources.
Financial Capability Office of the Comptroller of the Currency This updated Community Developments Fact Sheet explains how financial capability programs can help people make informed decisions and actions.
Financial Coaching for American Indians and Alaska Natives Oklahoma Native Assets Coalition This organization provides free financial coaching to any American Indian and Alaska Native anywhere in the United States. Coaching is available by phone and teleconference. Coaching includes one-on-one credit counseling, home buyer education, and basic budgeting.
Financial Crime Rapid Response Program Financial Crimes Enforcement Network This program helps victims and their financial institutions recover funds stolen as the result of certain cyber-enabled financial crime schemes. The program has assisted in the recovery of over $1.1 billion since its inception in 2015.
Financial Education Exchange Consumer Financial Protection Bureau This resource provides a place for financial educators, practitioners, counselors, researchers, and others to share information and best practices and to learn and gain access to free monthly webinars, conferences, financial education resources, and more.
Financial Empowerment Center Academy Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund This program informs local governments about bringing the Financial Empowerment Center model of integrated, professional, one-on-one financial counseling as a free public service to their communities. The academy supports cities and counties through planning, and includes significant CFE Fund technical assistance, access to planning resources and information, and participation in a robust learning community. Partners are also eligible to receive a $20,000 planning grant.
Financial Inclusion Essentials Online Training National Disability Institute and Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education This self-paced, online course is designed for financial counselors, financial coaches, disability service providers, and others who want to learn more about building the financial well-being of people with disabilities and their families. The course includes practical, actionable tools, examples, and resources.
Financial Literacy Resource Directory Office of the Comptroller of the Currency This resource directory provides information on financial literacy resources, issues, and events of importance to bankers, organizations, and consumers. It describes government programs and organizations whose missions are to support financial literacy through campaigns, fact sheets, newsletters, conference materials, publications, and websites.
Financial Readiness eNewsletters U.S. Department of Defense Your Military Money helps service members and their families achieve personal financial readiness in support of mission readiness; MilSpouse Money Mission educates and empowers military spouses; and Military Financial Service Provider helps financial services providers deliver financial education to service members and their families. The newsletters are published monthly.
Financial Wellness Online Courses National Disability Institute These online courses expand knowledge of financial wellness strategies to help people with disabilities build better financial futures. The self-paced courses cover topics such as debunking myths and stereotypes, negotiating favorable tax credits and services, and how Social Security disability benefits affect the financial decisions of people with disabilities.
Glossary of Financial Terms for Youth Consumer Financial Protection Bureau This glossary contains terms useful when teaching youth financial literacy. The terms are used throughout related classroom activities and can help students better understand financial literacy concepts.
Glossaries of Translated Financial Terms in Eight Languages Consumer Financial Protection Bureau These new and updated glossaries of financial words and terms are available in eight languages: Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. The glossaries were created to serve as a translation tool for content creation that serves limited English-proficient communities as they navigate the financial marketplace.
Guide to Organizing Reality Fairs (PDF) Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation This guide is a comprehensive resource for planning, organizing, and supporting a successful three-hour reality fair. Reality fairs allow students to experience what it is like to have a bank account, decide how to use their money, obtain a loan, manage debt, and more.
HelpWithMyBank.gov Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Get answers to your banking questions by visiting HelpWithMyBank.gov. This webpage provides information and assistance for customers of national banks and federal savings associations. You can type in a request using the search box or browse frequently asked questions by topics. If neither of these methods provide you the answer you need, you can email a question or call (800) 613-6743.
Help With Your Housing Journey Fannie Mae On this website, renters, home buyers, and homeowners can find tools, including calculators, checklists, and resources for what to do after a disaster. HomeView Homebuyer Education is a comprehensive course for first-time home buyers available in English and Spanish. Fannie Mae also has two webpages, The Black Homeowning Journey and The Latino Homeowning Journey, that identify distinct obstacles that Black and Latino consumers may encounter when they purchase a home. It also provides information on solutions that Fannie Mae is creating to address these barriers.
Homeownership 101 3 by 30 This website is targeted at first-time home buyers and those who are the first in their families to own a home. It provides detailed step-by-step guidance on how to purchase a home and includes a mortgage calculator to calculate monthly payments based on the cost of a home, the down payment, the interest rate, and the cost of insurance and homeowners association dues.
Home Ownership Guide for People with Disabilities and Home Inheritance Guide for People with Disabilities ABLE National Resource Center The ABLE National Resource Center (ABLE NRC), managed by National Disability Institute (NDI), created two new guides: Home Ownership Guide for People with Disabilities and Home Inheritance Guide for People with Disabilities. ABLE accounts, which allow individuals with disabilities to save money without affecting their eligibility for public benefits, can be used to cover various housing-related expenses.
How Banks Can Measure and Support Customer Financial Health Outcomes Office of the Comptroller of the Currency The OCC encourages national banks and federal savings associations to support consumers' financial health in a safe, sound, and fair manner. This report identifies a way to consider consumer financial health, proposes and encourages the use of financial health measures, and provides examples of financial health measure use cases and actions that may contribute to improved customer financial health. It is intended to contribute to broader efforts to measure financial health as a means of supporting improved financial health outcomes.
How to Develop a Financial Education Program at Your Credit Union (PDF) National Credit Union Administration This brochure provides tips for starting or enhancing financial education programs at credit unions.
How to Organize Your Important Papers Before a Disaster Strikes Federal Trade Commission This article provides guidance on how to organize personal and financial documents that may be needed in case of a disaster. The article is also available in Spanish.
HoweyTrade Fictional Investment Videos U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission These videos and companion teacher's guides show student investors what real scams can look like and teach them how to spot the red flags of fraud and avoid getting scammed.
Infographics on the Effectiveness of Financial Education National Endowment for Financial Education These shareable documents summarize research findings on the effectiveness of financial education programs on financial knowledge and behaviors, including in elementary, secondary, and higher education.
Investor Education Webinars and Teacher Consultation Meetings Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Foundation These free webinars are available all school year and include topics like investment research, introduction to stocks, diversification, and more. The foundation also offers consultation meetings or "office hours" for educators interested in learning more about the foundation's financial education programs and how to incorporate them into their classrooms.
Introduction to the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in Seven Languages Consumer Financial Protection Bureau CFPB's Office of Financial Education posted the video, "The CFPB Is on Your Side," on consumer-facing pages. The video gives a basic description of the CFPB in 10 languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language.
Invest It Forward Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Foundation This program provides financial education volunteering opportunities to help youth learn about capital markets.
Investor Alert: Retirement Accounts U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission These alerts address topics that include Protect Your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Account From Fraud.
Investor Bulletin: An Introduction to ABLE Accounts U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission This updated Investor Bulletin provides information on the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account, which is a tax-advantaged method to save for qualified disability expenses. The bulletin explains who can open an ABLE account, who can be a beneficiary of an ABLE account, and important tax law changes.
Investor.gov U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission This website includes information on investing and investment products, a glossary of investment terms, Investor Alerts and Bulletins on fraud and on current investment topics, investor education publications and quizzes, and free financial tools and calculators. Investor Alerts and Bulletins found on this site include the following:
Managing Your Finances During Recovery: Financial Help for Recovering Addicts Annuity.org This webpage provides information to address the financial stresses of people in addiction recovery, including tips for individuals and financial literacy programs.
Money Basics Guide to Budgeting and Savings (PDF) National Credit Union Administration Financial educators can use this guide to teach people about financial basics, including budgeting and savings.
Money Management Essentials Course Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education This self-paced, online professional development course covers foundational money management steps. New activities, including interactive virtual counseling scenarios, have been added.
Money Matters: How to Spot, Avoid, and Report Scams Federal Trade Commission This website features articles, videos, social media shareables, and sample presentations that focus on eight primary areas: Credit Reports, Buying or Renting a Home, Avoiding a Scam When Looking for a Job, Borrowing and Debt, Education and Training, Your Rights When Shopping, Buying and Owning a Car, and Prizes and Grants. The website is available in Spanish.
MoneySKILL American Financial Services Association Education Foundation This free, online personal finance curriculum offers courses in English and Spanish that are designed for middle and high school students and other audiences. Instructors have access to student progress, gradebooks, and hundreds of free digital personal finance activities to supplement each module. The infographic (PDF) and full report (PDF) describe the latest results on student financial behaviors and knowledge gained since 2021.
Money Smart Alliance Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation The Money Smart Alliance is a network of organizations that use the Money Smart Curriculum. Any organization that needs financial literacy training materials can use the Money Smart Curriculum. Instructions for joining the Alliance and accessing the financial literacy are on the website.
My Home Freddie Mac This website includes links to calculators and housing counselors to help with housing-related questions. Additionally, the CreditSmart website provides education and tools on money and credit basics, as well as topics for renters, home buyers, and homeowners.
MyMoney.gov Financial Literacy and Education Commission This website provides financial education information and resources from across the federal government. The website highlights the MyMoney Five and a section on financial choices for major life events. Recent additions include pages on climate change resources, justice impacted individuals, crypto-assets, and tribal and native resources.
National Strategy for Financial Inclusion in the United States: Fostering Access, Resilience, and Well-Being for All (PDF) U.S. Department of the Treasury This strategy is intended to facilitate consumers' ability to access and use safe financial products and services that enable the building of financial resilience and well-being, and to promote an inclusive financial system that works to reduce, rather than compound, disparities.
NeighborWorks Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling NeighborWorks America The center offers certifications for homeownership and community development practitioners that align with the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling. Financial capability certifications are designed for financial coaches and financial and housing counselors.
Never Stop Learning U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission This public service campaign highlights the importance of life-long financial learning for those who invest, emphasizing the need for investors to monitor their investment accounts, conduct background checks on investment professionals, and avoid unsolicited investment pitches that could be scams.
Next Gen Personal Finance for Middle, High Schoolers Next Gen Personal Finance This website offers free curriculum and resources for teaching financial education in middle and high school. Resources include a bank simulator for students to practice navigating an online bank account.
Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 Financial Literacy Assessment Results U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics This assessment measures 15-year-olds' knowledge and understanding of fundamental elements of the financial world—including financial concepts, products, and risks—and the skills and attitudes to apply what they know to real-life situations involving financial issues and decisions. The 2022 PISA Financial Literacy Assessment results were released on June 27, 2024. PISA is developed and organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and is conducted in the United States by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Planning for Retirement U.S. Department of Labor This website provides publications and tools to plan for retirement. Many publications are now available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Prevent Elder Financial Exploitation with Alerts to Trusted Contacts and Preventing and Reporting Elder Financial Exploitation Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The first resource helps to prevent financial exploitation by describing voluntary practices to financial institutions for providing alerts to trusted contacts for older adults. The second resource provides contact information for help in responding to and reporting elder financial abuse.
Pro Bono Planner Match Foundation for Financial Planning The Foundation for Financial Planning's ProBonoPlannerMatch.Org connects nonprofits with Certified Financial Planner professionals who want to provide free financial guidance and advice to underserved populations. Nonprofit organizations can register and post volunteer opportunities on the site. The site also has real-life examples of how pro bono financial planning has affected individuals and families.
Project REACh Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Project REACh (Roundtable for Economic Access and Change) brings together leaders from the banking industry, national civil rights organizations, business, and technology to promote financial inclusion through greater access to credit and capital. The initiative seeks to reduce specific barriers that prevent full, equal, and fair participation in the nation's economy.
Psychological Well-Being May Slow Financial and Health Literacy Decline in Older Adults (PDF) Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education Foundation This research examines data on older adults. The findings suggest that psychological well-being helps stave off a decline in financial literacy and, by extension, promotes independence late in life.
Relationship Cons, Recovery Scams & Money Laundering U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) This article provides detailed information on the long story behind this insidious type of fraud and provides warning signs to look for to help protect consumers for falling victim to these types of scams.
Spotting, Avoiding, and Reporting Fraud and Scams Federal Trade Commission People can now report fraud, scams, and bad business practices in their preferred language including Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French, Arabic, Russian, Korean, Portuguese, and Polish, in addition to English and Spanish. Online and print information is also available in multiple languages on how to spot, stop, and avoid scams and what to do if a scammer is paid online.
Secure Your Financial Future: Toolkit for Individuals with Disabilities U.S. Department of Labor This toolkit is designed to help people with disabilities achieve financial stability. It addresses preparing for a job, maintaining a job, and retirement.
Stock Market Game and InvestQuest Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Foundation The Stock Market Game is an online simulation and curriculum that instructs students in grades 4 through 12 on economics, investing, and personal finance. InvestQuest is an online educational game available as an introduction or enrichment activity.
TaxEDU Educational Resources Tax Foundation This organization provides educational resources on tax policy issues including lesson plans for grades 9 through 12, explainer videos, and a blog series.
Teach Children to Save Program ABA Foundation The Teach Children to Save program rolled out redesigned lesson plans for grades K-2, new interactive activities for each grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8), and an improved Teach Children to Save Banker resource page. To participate in Teach Children to Save, banks can sign up at aba.com/fined.
The Impact of Climate Change on American Household Finances (PDF) U.S. Department of the Treasury This report evaluates the impacts of climate change on household finances and recommends steps to build capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate-related shocks and stresses. The report also includes a catalog of resources, including educational resources, to promote awareness about the steps households can take to prepare for and adapt to climate hazards.
Tribal and Native Resources Financial Literacy and Education Commission This new page on MyMoney.gov provides financial literacy and educational resources to support the financial capability of tribal families and communities. The page highlights federal agency news and resources for members of tribal and native communities and other stakeholders.
Unlocking Homeownership Campaign American Bankers Association Foundation The ABA Foundation launched the Unlocking Homeownership campaign to empower banks to promote homeownership education and counseling. This long-term, multi-channel campaign provides new resources and training for banks to support and complement the work of nonprofits and housing counseling organizations to grow homeownership and wealth generation, particularly in low-to-moderate income communities. Banks can sign up for free to access the resources.
Veteran Saves Consumer Federation of America This component of America Saves is designed to help veterans and their families build financial stability and security. Veteran Saves uses research-based principles of behavioral economics and social marketing to promote savings behavior and motivate action.
Veteran, Service Member, Family Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Learn to detect fraud and protect yourself through education and resources about fraud that targets veterans, active-duty service members, and their families.
The information in the Financial Literacy Update was obtained from publicly available sources. Inclusion of a non-OCC event, activity, product, or hyperlink in this newsletter does not constitute an endorsement by the OCC. The OCC does not exercise editorial control over any of the information in non-OCC websites and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information.
