April is recognized as National Financial Literacy Month, a time to highlight the crucial role of financial education in empowering all Americans to achieve financial well-being and take control of their financial lives. Financial literacy is essential for fostering a healthy and efficient marketplace and increasing household wealth.
FEATURED EVENT
The White House released a Presidential Message recognizing April as National Financial Literacy Month.
Presidential Message on National Financial Literacy Month, 2025
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
The CFPB offers resources to help consumers navigate important decisions affecting their financial security.
- AskCFPB - Browse by money topic to find answers to commonly-asked financial questions. Learn the basics, understand key terms, and find ways to take action when you have an issue.
- Tools for later in Life Financial Security - Browse guides and information to help older adults make sound financial decisions. Learn more about managing someone else’s money.
- Help for Surviving Spouses - The death of a spouse or partner can be one of life’s most stressful events. Check out this information and resources to help you take control of your finances, navigate critical financial moments, and understand your rights.
- Protect Older Adults Against Fraud - Protecting savings and assets becomes increasingly important as people age. Check out these resources to help safeguard finances and protect older adults from financial exploitation.
- Money Smart for Older Adults - The Money Smart for Older Adults program can help older adults, family caregivers, and others prevent, recognize, and report scams, fraud, and financial exploitation.
- Meet the Money Monsters - The Money Monsters is a group of creatures who are new to our universe, which means they need to learn about important things like school, friendship, and financial literacy. The Money Monster stories introduce readers to ideas, habits, and activities that children will need as they grow up and start to manage their own money. Originally designed for classroom use, the CFPB created a parent guide for families to use the stories at home. On the webpage you will find .pdfs and an ePub file for each book. The storybooks are written at a K-5 grade level and the chapter book is written at a 4-7 grade level.
- Money as You Grow - This CFPB webpage and associated Money as You Grow Bookshelf offers resources for parents and caregivers that want to start building financial capability with the youth within their care or circle of influence. Parents can learn alongside their children through conversations, activities and reading the books.
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
- OCC Promotes National Financial Literacy Month
- Financial Literacy Update: Spring 2025 - 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.
- Financial Literacy Resource Directory - The Financial Literacy Resource Directory provides publicly available information on financial literacy and education resources for consumers, bank financial educators, nonprofit organizations, and other financial literacy practitioners.
- Financial Health Resource Directory - This directory (formerly Banking the Underbanked Resource Directory) provides useful information and resources to national banks and federal savings associations (collectively, banks) that are interested in expanding access to financial services to consumers who may be considered unbanked or underbanked, especially low- and moderate-income (LMI) consumers. By providing such services, banks may help improve the financial health of consumers.
- Safe Money – Guarding Against Financial Frauds & Scams - Safe Money is a series of informational fact sheets developed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to help consumers recognize and avoid common financial frauds and scams. Consumer fraud impacts millions of Americans every year and often results in financial harm. View and share these fact sheets to learn about the most common types of consumer fraud, how each type works, the warning signs, and how to protect yourself and others.
- BankWise - Your Rights Simplified Bank Wise a series of informational fact sheets to help consumers understand the federal consumer protection laws and regulations applicable to national banks and federal savings associations. View and share these fact sheets to learn about these laws and regulations, their key protections and requirements, and how to get assistance or file a complaint.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
The FDIC Money Smart financial education program can help people of all ages enhance their financial skills and create positive banking relationships. First released in 2001 and regularly updated since then, Money Smart has a long track record of success.
FDIC financial education programs include free instructor-led curriculums for all ages and small businesses as well as How Money Smart Are You? – 14 self-paced financial education games and related resources about everyday financial topics available at PlayMoneySmart.fdic.gov.
Subscribe to FDIC’s Money Smart News for curriculum tips, updates, and success stories for financial instructors and educators and Consumer News for practical consumer guidance on becoming a smart, safe user of financial services.
Download, share, or find more information about Money Smart materials and resources at fdic.gov/moneysmart.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Investor.gov is the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) consumer-facing website designed to help investors make sound investment decisions and avoid fraud. The following resources are available on its website.
Building Wealth: A Roadmap for Students - Investor.gov/students offers steps for young adults to consider as they begin their careers and investing journey (downloadable PDF at the bottom of the page)
Building Wealth Over Time Through Saving and Investing - Tips to build wealth over time for general audience
Protect Your Money: How to Avoid Investment Fraud - Investor.gov/protectyourmoney includes a list of red flags of investment fraud to keep an eye out for (downloadable PDF and a downloadable red flag checklist)
Relationship Investment Scams - Investor.gov/relationshipscams shares how relationship investment scams work, what to look out for, and how to protect yourself and others
Social Security Administration
The SSA provides financial benefits, as well as information and tools to help consumers build a secure financial future. The following resources will help you understand your social security retirement benefits and use the tools available to plan for your retirement.
Publications
Blog Posts
U.S. Department of Labor
The Department of Labor has the following resources to help consumers set financial and retirement goals and plan for their financial future.
- Savings Fitness: A Guide to Your Money and Your Financial Future: English (EN) | En Español (ES) | Financial Planning Worksheets: English (EN) | Hojas de trabajo
- Choosing a Retirement Solution for Your Small Business: English (EN) | En Español (ES) This guide provides an overview of different retirement plan options available to small business owners, including 401(k) plans, SIMPLE IRAs, and SEP IRAs. It outlines the benefits of each plan, eligibility requirements, and key considerations to help business owners select the best option for their company and workforce. This guide helps small business owners make informed decisions to secure their financial future and support their employees’ long-term savings and is available in English and Spanish.
- Resources for Small Business Owners: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) offers tools, publications, and compliance assistance specifically for small business owners who offer or are considering offering a retirement plan. This page provides guidance on plan setup, fiduciary responsibilities, and where to go for help. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to strengthen an existing plan, EBSA’s resource can help you make informed decisions to support your business and your employees’ financial futures.
Office of Financial Readiness
The 2025 DOD Financial Capability Month Media Kit is now available!
Financial Capability Month Media Kit
Key priorities for 2025 include:
Encouraging Service members and their families to utilize Department and collaborator resources to improve their financial literacy and skills, as well as overall financial capabilities.
Emphasizing approachable, actionable steps that can be used to build short-term savings and emergency funds.
Highlighting the benefits of having an emergency fund, including minimizing debt and covering unexpected expenses, to help Service members and their families build stronger financial foundations.
Promoting Department and collaborator resources that help Service members reach their financial goals by building and maintaining healthy money management habits.
Federal Trade Commission Consumer.gov
Consumer.gov, or consumidor.gov in Spanish, shares consumer protection basics, plain and simple. Consumer.gov gives people what they need to know on topics like avoiding scams and identity theft, managing money, using credit, and dealing with debt. Articles are written in clear, plain language to help users navigate some key consumer decisions, while also giving advice on protecting your money and personal information. The site also includes a useful Budget Worksheet and short, sharable videos that reinforce key points.
- Find printable pdfs or order free printed copies of articles at ftc.gov/bulkorder
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice
Consumer.ftc.gov, or consumidor.ftc.gov in Spanish, has information on topics including shopping and donating, credit and debt, loans and mortgages, and identity theft. Also read Consumer Alerts, or subscribe to them at ftc.gov/subscribe.
Military Consumer
MilitaryConsumer.gov is a joint initiative that seeks to empower active duty and retired servicemembers, military families, veterans and civilians in the military community. The website has free resources for servicemembers to help protect them against fraud and make better-informed decisions when managing their money. The site covers life events, spending, earning, borrowing, saving and investing, and protecting your money, personal information, financial records, and reputation.
U.S Department of the Interior
The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration at the Department of the Interior offers a gateway to information about Individual Indian Money (IIM) accounts, including steps for new account holders and details about the new self-service feature.
U.S Office of Personnel Management
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides guidance and resources for federal agencies to hire and retain military spouses, including a non-competitive appointing authority and exemptions from return-to-office mandates for those in remote work positions.
