Avoiding Mistakes Through Financial Literacy Education

Column distributed by Hearst Connecticut Media Group.

Links to resources referenced:

• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: Office of Investor Education and Assistance
  • https://www.sec.gov/about/divisions-offices/office-investor-education-assistance  
    • Related column excerpt:
      • She led FINRA’s Investor Education Foundation as president and served as senior vice president of FINRA Investor Education -- and before that she served as deputy director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Assistance, which ‘provides a variety of services and resources to help investors invest wisely, build wealth, and avoid fraud.’”
• FINRA: For Investors
  • https://www.finra.org/investors#/
    • Related column excerpt:
      • “In its ‘Investors’ section, FINRA provides an array of subject categories for personal finance, investing and protecting your money, where you will learn to avoid fraud and watch for red flags. The FINRA Investor Education Foundation also offers Consumer Insights: Money and Investing, which highlights trends and circumstance that affect ‘the way Americans manage and invest their money.’”
• FINRA Investor Education Foundation: Consumer Insights: Money and Investing
  • https://www.finrafoundation.org/consumer-insights-money-investing  
    • Related column excerpt:
      • “In its ‘Investors’ section, FINRA provides an array of subject categories for personal finance, investing and protecting your money, where you will learn to avoid fraud and watch for red flags. The FINRA Investor Education Foundation also offers Consumer Insights: Money and Investing, which highlights trends and circumstance that affect ‘the way Americans manage and invest their money.’”
• FINRA Investor Education Foundation: The National Financial Capability Study 
  • https://finrafoundation.org/national-financial-capability-study
    • Related column excerpt: 
      • “In addition, FINRA’s National Financial Capability Study, conducted every three years, provides important insight into where financial literacy needs to improve.” 
• Council for Economic Education: 2026 Survey of the States
  • https://www.councilforeconed.org/survey-of-the-states/
    • Related column excerpt:
      • “Financial education should start at a young age. The Council for Economic Education, in its 2026 Survey of the States, reported that 39 states now require students to take a course in personal finance to graduate from high school, an increase of four states since 2024. But the number of states requiring students to take a course in economics to graduate declined to 22.”
• PR Newswire: “Synchrony Puts Teachers First This Financial Literacy Month with $2 Million Commitment to Bring Training, Tools, and Financial Literacy Labs to U.S. High Schools”
  • https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synchrony-puts-teachers-first-this-financial-literacy-month-with-2-million-commitment-to-bring-training-tools-and-financial-literacy-labs-to-us-high-schools-302734003.html  
    • Related column excerpt:
      • “Synchrony, a consumer financing company, announced in April that it will commit $2 million in grants and in-kind donations from its Empowering Financial Futures philanthropic program ‘to help K–12 public school teachers, educators, and community organizations bring personal finance lessons to life.’ A Synchrony spokeswoman noted that this followed a $1 million donation in September 2025, when the program launched.”
• FDIC: Money Smart
  • https://www.fdic.gov/consumer-resource-center/money-smart
    • Related column excerpt:
      • “The FDIC’s ‘Money Smart’ website offers resources for adults and children to ‘enhance their financial skills.’”