Lacking financial literacy skills leads to poor decision-making, which has lasting consequences on our ability to ensure our livelihood and reach personal goals. Yet, over half of Americans cannot score even 50% on a financial literacy test. Moreover, 20% of US adults spend more than their income and have credit card debt three months overdue. So, we had to ask: What is the most important information you need to know about this year’s Financial Literacy Month?

👉 Official Name: Financial Literacy Month
💚 Cause: Advance financial education and responsible financial habits 
📅 Next Date: April 1-30, 2026
🌐 Official Website: www.jumpstart.org/awareness/financial-literacy-month
🐦 Hashtag: #FinancialLiteracyMonth, #FinancialLiteracy

Keep reading to find out all the important information about Financial Literacy Month at a glance: its big picture, why it’s important, and how you can get involved. We’ll then share its brief history, three interesting facts about it, its future dates, and how you’ll never miss any important awareness event again.

The Most Important Information About Financial Literacy Month at a Glance

1️⃣ The big picture: Financial Literacy Month, also called Financial Capability Month, gives an opportunity for all Americans, regardless of their current financial knowledge, to learn more about personal finance. This event engages banks, credit unions, credit counselors, schools, and other organizations to provide workshops and educational resources to empower people’s financial futures. In addition, there is a separate annual event in Canada, held in November, that fights to improve financial education nationwide.

2️⃣ Why it is important: Money is deeply influential in our lives, affecting where we live, our health, careers, and retirement. People with a better understanding of personal finance are more likely to save for emergencies, avoid high-interest debt, and achieve long-term goals like homeownership. However, finances remain a top cause of arguments within marriages, and very few high school students take a financial literacy course. As a result, 88% of US adults said that high school did not prepare them for how to handle money later in life. Moreover, ⅓ of them have a difficult financial situation and are “just getting by financially”.

3️⃣ How you can get involved: You can participate in Financial Literacy Month by improving your own financial literacy, engaging youth in your community, or advocating for policy changes:

1. Increase your financial knowledge: Use this month to advance your financial education and reevaluate your financial habits by participating in courses, workshops, and dedicated events. By the end of the month, you can already implement better strategies to save, spend, invest, and protect your money better! 
2. Support youth: Learning financial education since youth is vital for handling money right as adults. Engage your children and youth in your community – from middle schoolers to college students – with courses and workshops to boost their financial skills.
3. Advocate for financial literacy: Financial education should be implemented throughout life – from schools to the workplace – with mandatory financial literacy courses for students. Use this event to advocate for systemic changes at the state or national level by organizing political petitions, meetings, and rallies. 

Below are our favorite charities that are relevant for Financial Literacy Month:

• Best Charities That Provide Financial Help

A Brief History of Financial Literacy Month

When was this event established: Financial Literacy Month grew out of Youth Financial Literacy Day, founded by the National Endowment for Financial Education as part of its High School Financial Planning Program. Then, in 2000, the organization passed responsibility for Youth Financial Literacy Day over to the Jump$tart Coalition, which changed the event to a month-long observance and renamed it Financial Literacy for Youth Month. Then, in 2003, the US Senate passed a resolution proclaiming April as National Financial Literacy Month. 

How has it developed since then: In April 2005, the US House of Representatives passed a bill supporting the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month, and, in 2007, President George Bush participated in meetings supporting the event. In addition, the observance has been proclaimed by President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden. Today, Financial Literacy Month is promoted by over 100 organizations across the US, including the Department of Education, to highlight the importance of financial literacy and the need for effective financial education.

3 Interesting Facts About Financial Literacy Month

1. Young and in Debt: Today, the student loan debt crisis affects over 43 million Americans. Recently, this constantly rising debt has prompted legislative action. This is because Americans owe a total of $1.75 trillion in federal and private student loan debt combined, with 16.6% of American adults having “an outstanding” undergraduate student debt. 
2. High School Years Are Valuable: Youth who took a personal finance class during high school are five times more likely to graduate prepared for handling money as adults. Sadly, 1 in 5 students lack basic financial literacy skills and 72% of US adults said they would be further ahead with money now if they had a personal finance class in high school. 
3. Not Financially Savvy: A 2020 study by the US Financial Literacy and Education Commission found that only ⅓ of adults could answer four out of five questions about fundamental finance, like inflation, interest rates, mortgage, and risk. Moreover, only 24% of millennials demonstrated basic financial knowledge. As a result, despite its economic opportunities, the US ranked 14th in the world for financial literacy. 

Upcoming Dates of Financial Literacy Month

Financial Literacy Month is observed every year for the entire month of April. 

Never Miss an Awareness Event Again

Sources

• Yahoo Finance: Financial Illiteracy Epidemic: 57% Of Americans Can’t Even Score 50% On A Financial Literacy Test
• FINRA Foundation: Gauging the State of Financial Capability in the U.S.
• Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development: International Network on Financial Education
• JumpStart Coalition: Financial Literacy Month
• Government of Canada: Financial literacy Month
• FINRA: Financial Literacy Is Significant Indicator of Positive Future Financial Outcomes and Behaviors
• Investopedia: The No. 1 Reason Why Couples Fight
• Ramsey Solutions: The Financial Literacy Crisis in America: 2023 Report
• DW: One-third of US adults face financial strain
• Investopedia: Ultimate Guide to Financial Education
• US News: 12 Best Free Online Personal Finance Courses
• InCharge: Financial Literacy Workshops & Webinars
• NASFAA: 10 Tips for Financial Literacy Month
• Udemy: The Complete Personal Finance for Kids and Teenagers Course
• JumpStart Coalition: Check Your School
• MoneyTimeKids: home page
• Coursera: Financial Planning for Young Adults
• Khan Academy: Personal finance
• Council for Economic Education: Policy & Advocacy for Financial Education
• Prosperity Now: How Do I Advocate for Policy Change?
• National Association for the Education of Young Children: Mastering Meetings with Policymakers
• Wikipedia: Financial Literacy Month
• National Endowment for Financial Education: home page
• JumpStart Coalition: home page
• Congress.gov: A resolution designating April 2004 as “Financial Literacy Month.”
• White House President George Bush: President Bush Participates in Meeting on Financial Literacy
• The White House: A Proclamation on National Financial Capability Month, 2021
• Department of Education: April is National Financial Capability Month
• Education Data Initiative: Student Loan Debt Crisis
• Congressman Hakeem Jeffries: TACKLING THE STUDENT LOAN DEBT CRISIS
• NEFE: 1 IN 5 U.S. TEENS LACKS BASIC PERSONAL FINANCE SKILLS
• U.S. National Strategy for Financial Literacy 2020
• Millennials & Financial Literacy – The Struggle with Personal Finance
• Yahoo Finance: World’s Richest: Guess Where the US Ranks Among the Top 20 for Financial Literacy?