Do People Know Enough Economics to Stay Out of Trouble?

1. Do People Know Enough Economics to Stay Out of Trouble?

2. Do People Know Enough Economics to Stay Out of Trouble? The relationship of economic and financial education, financial literacy, financial attitudes and financial behavior

3. Do People Know Enough Economics to Stay Out of Trouble? The relationship of economic and financial education, financial literacy, financial attitudes and financial behavior Financial literacy measures ability to utilize economics for personal decision-making

4. Do People Know Enough Economics to Stay Out of Trouble? The relationship of economic and financial education, financial literacy, financial attitudes and financial behavior Financial literacy measures ability to utilize economics for personal decision-making Component of 2006 National Economics Exam (NCLB)

5. The Impact of Financial Education Classes • On Financial Literacy

6. The Impact of Financial Education Classes • On Financial Literacy • On Financial Attitudes

7. The Impact of Financial Education Classes • On Financial Literacy • On Financial Attitudes • On Financial Behavior

8. Jump$tart National Survey • 4,075 students • Coalition states oversampled –data weighted • similar demographics (income chart)

9. Little Evidence That Financial or Economic Education Improves Literacy Mean Jump$tart score in 2004 52.3%

10. Little Evidence That Financial Education Improves Literacy Mean Jump$tart score in 2004 52.3% Except for the Stock Market Game

11. Knowledge of Stocks • Hector and Maria just had a baby. They received money as baby gifts and want to put it away for the baby’s education. Which of the following tends to have the highest growth over periods as long as 18 years? • a U.S. Govt.. savings bond (45.9%) • a checking account (3.3%) • a savings account (33.6%) • * stocks (17.2%)

12. Knowledge of Taxes • Andrew worked his way through college earning $15,000 per year. After graduation his first job pays $30,000. The total dollar amount Andrew will have to pay in Federal Income taxes in his new job will: • be lower than when he was in college (3.7%) • stay the same as when he was in college (7.1%) • go up a little from when he was in college (36.7%) • *double at least, from when he was in college (52.5%)

13. While Financial Literacy Isn’t Related to Thrift

14. Thrift is Related to Financial Education – Positively

15. Thrift is Related to Financial Education – Positively and Negatively

16. What AboutJust-In-TimeEducation? • Teach high motivation, timely subjects

17. What AboutJust-In-TimeEducation? • Teach high motivation, timely subjects • Study based on 11 Jump$tart questions relating to actual financial decisions made by students shows classes made no difference in specific knowledge

18. What About Future Behavior?

19. What About Future Behavior? • “Plus 5” study contacted students up to 5 years after graduation.

20. What About Future Behavior? • “Plus 5” study contacted students up to 5 years after graduation. • Half had a highly-regarded course, half didn’t

21. What About Future Behavior? • “Plus 5” study contacted students up to 5 years after graduation. • Half had a highly-regarded MM course, half didn’t • Paid for Participation

22. Financial Literacy Scores Not Improved by Taking a Personal Finance Class

23. These Results are Supported by the Jump$tart Surveys

24. Does Effect of Course on Thrift Persevere?(From + Five Study)

25. Relationship of Financial Literacy Course to Behavior

26. Relationship of Financial Literacy Course to Behavior

27. Relationship of Financial Literacy Course to Behavior

28. Relationship of Financial Literacy Course to Behavior

29. Relationship of Financial Literacy Course to Behavior

30. Relationship of Financial Literacy Course to Behavior

31. Relationship of Financial Literacy Course to Behavior

32. Relationship of Financial Literacy Course to Behavior

33. Relationship of Financial Literacyto Behavior

34. Relationship of Financial Literacy to Behavior

35. Relationship of Financial Literacy to Behavior

36. Relationship of Financial Literacy to Behavior

37. Relationship of Financial Literacy to Behavior

38. Relationship of Financial Literacy to Behavior

39. Relationship of Financial Literacy to Behavior

40. Relationship of Financial Literacy to Behavior

41. Conclusions • Classes little help for financial literacy • May be improving – too early to tell • Immediate effect of classes on thrift may not persevere • Just-in-Time education focus doesn’t help • Classes may impact some behavior • Interactivity promotes literacy • Literacy and behavior appear related (although causation is a question)

42. Is it an Act of God? 49. Which of the following do you feel is the greatest cause of serious financial difficulty, where families can’t pay their bills? a) Bad luck such as unexpected illness or job loss b) Not enough savings c) Buying too much on credit d) Not following a financial plan e) Not being able to earn enough money

43. Are There Few Consequences? • How bad do you think it is for families who don’t have enough money to pay their bills? • Not so bad, a lot of families go through this • Pretty bad, it is painful to experience • c) Very bad, it is one of the worst things that can happen to a family

44. Are They Pleased With the Safety Nets? 51. What do you think happens to older people when they retire if they haven’t saved much money and don’t have a good pension from their former jobs? a) They live pretty well on Social Security b) They get by on Social Security by keeping their expenses down c) They find it tough to live on Social Security

45. Do People Know Enough Economics to Stay Out of Trouble?