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Financial Literacy

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Regulatory Agency Consumer Resources

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Consumer Protection:  https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/

  • The FDIC is an independent agency created by Congress to maintain stability and public confidence in the nation's financial systems by insuring deposits, examining and supervising financial institutions for safety and soundness and consumer protection, and managing receiverships.
  • This website contains resources provided by the FDIC to educate and protect consumers, revitalize communities, and promote compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act and fair lending laws.

Federal Reserve Board Consumers and Communities:  https://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerscommunities.htm 

  • The Federal Reserve's duties fall into four general areas:
    • Conducting the nation's monetary policy by influencing the monetary and credit conditions in the economy in pursuit of maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.
    • Supervising and regulating member banking institutions to ensure the safety and soundness of the nation's banking and financial system and to protect the credit rights of consumers.
    • Maintaining the stability of the financial system and containing systemic risk that may arise in financial markets.
    • Providing financial services to depository institutions, the United States government, and foreign official institutions, including playing a major role in operating the nation's payment system.
  • This website contains various resources provided by the Federal Reserve to educate consumers about the role of the Federal Reserve and provides tools designed to help consumers deal with their financial needs.

National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Consumer Assistance Center:  https://www.mycreditunion.gov/consumer-assistance-center/Pages/default.aspx

  • The NCUA is the independent federal agency that charters, regulates, and supervises federal credit unions. With the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, NCUA operates and manages the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), insuring the deposits of more than 92 million account holders in all federal credit unions and the overwhelming majority of state-chartered credit unions.
  • This website contains information designed to help consumers find answers to their credit union questions.

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Help with My Bank:  https://www.helpwithmybank.gov/

  • The OCC charters, regulates, and supervises all national banks and federal savings associations. It also supervises the Federal branches and agencies of foreign banks.
  • This website contains information designed to help consumers find answers to their national banking questions.

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Financial Education for Children

Bizworld:  http://www.bizworld.org

  • With the BizWorld Foundation's programs, teachers help their students to develop the critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork skills that allow them to become financially responsible and productive members of society.

Federal Reserve Kids and Money Page:  http://www.federalreserveeducation.org/

  • This website is designed to teach children about the basics of the Federal Reserve and it's role in the financial system.

Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy:  http://www.jumpstart.org

  • Jump$tart is a national coalition of organizations dedicated to improving the financial literacy of pre-kindergarten through college-age youth by providing advocacy, research standards, and educational resources.

Wells Fargo Bank's "Hands on Banking":  http://www.handsonbanking.org

  • This website is designed to provide a consumer with the tools, skills, and information they need to build credit, invest in the market, shop for a loan, purchase a car, or open a bank account.

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Financial Education for Teens and Adults

American Financial Services Association Education Foundation (AFSAEF):  http://www.afsaef.org/resources

  • Established in 1990 to heighten consumers' awareness of personal financial responsibility, the AFSAEF is a non-profit AFSA affiliate.  The foundation's mission is to help consumers realize the benefits of responsible money management, understand the credit process, and seek help if credit problems occur.  The site contains a variety of materials designed to educate both teens and adults on the credit process and money management.

America Saves:  https://americasaves.org/

  • America Saves provides free financial tools, savings services, advice and resources that help Americans from every income level take the steps needed to take charge of their finances and manage money more effectively.

Annual Credit Report: http://www.annualcreditreport.com

  • Source for free credit reports from the major credit reporting entities: TransUnion; Equifax, and Experian.

Bank of North Dakota College Planning Center:  https://www.collegesave4u.com/home/planning-resources/additional-resources.html

  • A website created in order to provide people of all ages with a wide variety of tools relating to college and career planning.

Choose to Save:  http://www.choosetosave.org

  • Developed by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and its American Savings Education Council (ASEC) program, Choose to Save is a national public education and outreach program dedicated to raising awareness about the need to plan and save for long-term personal financial security. As part of its mission, Choose to Save develops user-friendly, multimedia materials to help individuals plan and save for their financial future.

FDIC Money Smart:  https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/

  • Money Smart is a comprehensive financial education curriculum designed to help low- and moderate-income individuals outside the financial mainstream enhance their financial skills and create positive banking relationships. Money Smart has reached over 2.75 million consumers since 2001. Research shows that the curriculum can positively influence how consumers manage their finances, and these changes are sustainable in the months after the training. Money Smart offers education designed for adults, youth, older adults, and small business.  Money Smart now offers a portable audio (MP3) version, Money Smart Podcast Network.

Federal Reserve Education:  https://www.federalreserveeducation.org/ and https://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerscommunities.htm

  • These websites provide various resources aimed at financial literacy. They also detail the organization of the Federal Reserve and explain its role in the financial marketplace.

Feed the Pig:  https://www.feedthepig.org/

  • Sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and The Advertising Council, this website is designed to encourage and help Americans ages 25-34 to take control of their personal finances. The website offers resources designed to think through spending and saving habits in order to identify ways that a consumer can start saving and commit to making changes that will reduce their debt and grow their savings.

My Money:  https://www.mymoney.gov

  • This website created is a product of the Congressional-chartered Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which is made up of more than 20 Federal entities that are coordinating and collaborating to strengthen financial capability and increase access to financial services for all Americans.

National Association of Consumer Credit Administrators (NACCA):  https://naccaonline.org/education

  • NACCA was formed to improve the supervision of consumer credit agencies by both providing a forum for the exchange of information among its state regulatory members and educating the public through its Consumer Education Committee. This website contains information relating to a wide variety of topics concerning consumer credit, including an overview of various credit products, financial management, credit reports, and consumer pitfalls and scams.

National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE):  https://www.nefe.org/

  • NEFE has a variety of self-help websites and resources that are noncommercial and frequently updated to ensure they provide credible, reliable information to consumers.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC):  https://www.nfcc.org/tools-and-education/

  • NFCC is a non-profit credit counseling organization which provides a variety of tools designed to help consumers understand and handle their finances.

Next Gen Personal Finance: https://www.ngpf.org/

  • This website is provided by a non-profit organization focused on financial education for middle and high schoolers.

OnGuardOnline:  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0038-onguardonline

  • This Federal Trade Commission website is provided by the Federal government to help you be safe, secure, and responsible online.

Practical Money Skills for Life:  http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/

  • To help consumers and students of all ages learn the essentials of personal finance, Visa has partnered with leading consumer advocates, educators, and financial institutions to develop the Practical Money Skills program. At this website, consumers, educators, parents, students and policymakers can access free educational resources, including personal finance articles, games, and lesson plans.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission:  https://www.sec.gov/page/investor-section-landing

  • The SEC's Office of Investor Education and Advocacy provides a variety of services and tools to address the problems and questions faced as an investor.

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Financial Education for Military Service Members

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Office of Service Member Affairs:  https://www.consumerfinance.gov/practitioner-resources/servicemembers/

  • This website provides information relating to resources available to service members to help their families plan for the future. In addition, the site highlights various unique resources available to protect the service member’s finances and rights.

Military OneSource:  http://www.militaryonesource.mil/personal-finance

  • This website provides a wide variety of resources, tools and articles to help in financial planning.

U.S. Department of Justice:  https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers

  • This website provides information on how the Department of Justice and other federal agencies can help and what service members can do to protect their rights under the law.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):  https://www.va.gov/

  • This website provides a listing of programs and educational tools available to service members.

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Financial Education for Seniors

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP):  https://www.aarp.org/money/

  • This website provides a variety of articles and tools relating to monetary issues.

Benefits.gov:  https://www.benefits.gov/

  • This website is a collaborative effort of 17 Federal agencies and provides citizens with easy, online access to government benefit and assistance programs.

Disability.gov:  https://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/disability.htm

  • This is the Federal government website for comprehensive information on disability programs and services in communities nationwide. This site links to more than 14,000 resources from federal, state, and local government agencies; academic institutions; and non-profit organizations. You can find answers to questions about Social Security benefits, employment, and affordable and accessible housing.

Go Direct® (U.S. Department of the Treasury):  https://fiscal.treasury.gov/GoDirect/

  • The Treasury Department's Go Direct® public education campaign is helping educate federal benefit recipients about the new electronic payments requirement and what it means for them. The Go Direct® public education campaign provides Americans with the tools and resources they need to transition to electronic payment options for Social Security, VA benefits or other federal benefits. The campaign reaches current check recipients as well as people who will apply for federal benefits soon.

Money Smart for Older Adults:  https://catalog.fdic.gov/system/files/MSOA_IG_082818.pdf

  • This is an instructional document developed by the CFPB and the FDIC to help identify and prevent elder abuse.  This is designed as an instructor's document, but can also be used by older adults for self-education or for the children of older adults on how to protect their parents from financial exploitation. 

Society of Certified Senior Advisors:  http://www.csa.us/page/Resources

  • This website provides a set of articles on financially relevant topics for seniors.

U.S. Social Security Administration:  https://www.ssa.gov/

  • This federal agency has the mission to deliver Social Security services that meet the changing needs of the public.

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Home Ownership Resources

American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (AARMR):  http://www.aarmr.org/consumer-resources  

  • AARMR is an organization established to promote the exchange of information and education concerning the licensing, supervision, and regulation of the residential mortgage industry. The website provides a variety of helpful federal and state regulatory links and other materials relating to mortgage regulation.

CreditSmart® (Freddie Mac Credit Education Curriculum):  http://www.freddiemac.com/creditsmart/

  • As part of its commitment to educate and build sound financial literacy skills among consumers, Freddie Mac developed CreditSmart®, a multilingual financial education curriculum and consumer outreach initiative designed to help consumers build and maintain better credit, make sound financial decisions, and understand the steps to sustainable homeownership. CreditSmart® increases consumers' financial understanding by teaching life-long money management skills and showing consumers how to avoid foreclosure and keep their home.

Fannie Mae:  http://fanniemae.com/

  • This website provides a variety of resources relating to home ownership and financing.

Federal Reserve Mortgage and Foreclosure Resources:  https://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerscommunities/foreclosure.htm

  • This website provides guides and tips to help choose a mortgage or deal with a foreclosure.

Making Home Affordable (MHA®):  https://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/pages/default.aspx

  • MHA® was created by the Departments of the Treasury and Housing and Urban Development to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, stabilize the country's housing market, and improve the nation's economy. This website provides various options available to a homeowner who is having difficulty making mortgage payments.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):  https://www.hud.gov/

  • This website provides many resources relating to affordable housing, including foreclosure and mortgage rights.

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Small Business Resources

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA):  https://www.sba.gov/

  • SBA provides a number of financial assistance programs for small businesses that have been specifically designed to meet key financing needs, including debt financing, surety bonds, and equity financing.

FDIC Money Smart for Small Business:  https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/business.html

  • Money Smart for Small Business (MSSB) provides a practical introduction to topics related to starting and managing a business. Developed jointly by the FDIC and the SBA, this instructor-led curriculum consists of 13 modules.

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*The Department only posts content to this site from government agencies and non-profit organizations; and from banks, credit unions, licensees of the Department, or their partners, and only if the financial literacy content is separate from any products or services being sold.