Why We Do What We Do

A growing trend shows that financially literate households invest more in education and health, contributing to long-term social mobility.

DID YOU KNOW?

Women are 33% more likely than men to defer financial decisions to a partner, citing lower self-confidence.

In India and Pakistan, women’s financial literacy rates are under 20%, linked to low digital access and educational disparities.

Only 27% of adults globally are considered financially literate in 2025, unchanged from the last major global survey.

THE ISSUE

75%

of American teens lack confidence in their knowledge of personal finance. Many teens are unclear about basic financial concepts such as the difference between credit and debit cards or what a 401(k) is. Despite interest in investing and money matters, a lack of confidence holds many back.

$338

billion is the cost of Financial illiteracy to Americans in 2023 due to poor decisions, fees, and missed opportunities. Many individuals fall into costly traps such as high credit card interest rates, overdraft fees, and other financial penalties that could be avoided with better knowledge.

1.8

times is the increase in financial knowledge scores that students achieved after taking a financial literacy course, exceeding the OECD threshold to be considered financially literate. This course also had a positive spillover effect, improving the financial literacy of parents with initially low scores who interacted frequently with their children