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Financial Education for a Stable Financial Future

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This article provides a brief overview of the field of financial education and explores some of the challenges and potential solutions. The author describes developments in the contemporary financial education movement since the 1990s and the background economic changes that stimulated its growth; reviews currently available financial education initiatives for youth and adults and discusses the evidence about its effectiveness as well as broader challenges for the field. The article concludes by highlighting both general and specific examples of efforts to move the field forward.

Banking on Opportunity: A Scan on the Evolving Field of Bank On Initiatives

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This report was prepared to provide background on the “Bank On” model, a new approach for expanding access to safe, affordable financial services for unbanked households. The purpose of this report is to describe the landscape of Bank On programs, their origins, and their context within a broader financial access field. The report provides basic information about Bank On programs that currently exist, including information about program structure, partnerships, and funding as well as an assessment of successes, challenges, special considerations and gaps in the field.

Banks and Financial Education Integrating Practice, Products, and Partnerships

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This article provides an overview of bank-based financial education. The role of banks more generally is reviewed, and examples of Marshall and Isley (M&I) Bank's Consumer Education (CE) program are discussed. Evaluation methods used by M&I are described. Key factors for success include clearly defined priorities, a standardized high-quality curriculum, appropriately designed delivery, well-integrated assessment and evaluation, effective community partnerships and a willingness to provide supporting tools.

Rae-Ann Miller, Susan Burhouse, and Luke Reynolds

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About 10 million American households do not use any aspect of the banking system. A large body of research provides evidence that limited involvement in the mainstream financial sector is most common among low- and moderate-income (LMI) households. Although their income may be relatively low, these individuals hold assets and regularly conduct financial transactions, frequently with nonbank financial companies.

Financial literacy education: A potential tool for reducing predatory lending?

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This article reviews research on the effectiveness of general financial literacy training to draw implications for literacy training related to predatory lending. The article concludes that training offered by high schools and workplaces is associated with improved financial knowledge and behavior, especially for low-income or less-educated recipients. Although evidence on homeowner education and counseling is less clear cut, the article concludes that financial literacy training has the potential to curb predatory lending.

Lessons learned from a financial education pilot for Native youth

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In a small a financial education pilot at Oh Day Aki Charter School in Minneapolis involving one teacher and about 100 middle and high school students, results suggest that that standard financial education materials can be adapted to benefit Native students in an urban setting, despite pre-existing educational challenges that are typical of inner-city schools, such as high turnover and low reading skills. The pilot's sponsoring partners hope to build on the lessons learned in order to further promote financial education for Native youth.

Death in the Family

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Social Security should be notified as soon as possible when a person dies. This site provides information about how you can report a death in the family and about possible benefits for family members, including surviving spouse, unmarried children, and parents.

Birth of a Child

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When you have a baby, one of the things that should be on your “to do” list is getting a Social Security number for your baby. The easiest time to do this is when you give information for your child’s birth certificate. If you wait to apply for a number at a Social Security office, there may be delays while we verify your child’s birth certificate. This website provides instructions on how to get a Social Security number for your child and information on how to apply for disability and other benefits for your child.

Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number

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Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. A dishonest person who has your Social Security number can use it to get other personal information about you. This site provides Information on how to protect your Social Security number, what to do if you think someone is using your number or if an identity thief is creating credit problems for you, and how the Social Security Administration might be able to help you.