Take Action Now
- Learn the basics about money and financial institutions
- Create a savings goal
- Look for small ways to earn money
- Keep track of your money
Financial Literacy:
- MyMoney.gov: The federal government's "one-stop shop" for financial education, featuring games, activities, and videos for youth to learn about saving, spending, and budgeting.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Provides over 250 free activities for grades K-12, including the "Money Monsters" series and tools for parents to weave money skills into daily life.
- FDIC Money Smart for Young People: A comprehensive curriculum for grades Pre-K through 12, featuring educator guides and student handouts to promote financial understanding.
- Federal Reserve Education: A portal for classroom-ready resources, including the "Financial Fables" story series for younger children and the "Fed Challenge" for high school students.
Free Personal Finance Games:
- Hit the Road: A Financial Adventure: “Hit the Road” is a financial adventure game that takes you on a virtual road trip across the country, but the journey is not an easy one. You must save and spend your money wisely to complete challenges along the way.
- H.I.P. Pocket Change Kids: Free educational kids games designed around fostering financial knowledge that is easily accessible and fun!
- World of Cents: World of Cents is a fun and engaging, kid-friendly game for ages 5 and up designed to help teach the value of money through the concepts of earning, saving and spending money, while incorporating basic math concepts.
Mandatory High School Financial Literacy Course:
- Act 35 of 2023: Effective in the 2026-2027 school year, all Pennsylvania schools will be required to implement a mandatory personal finance course where students must complete once during grades nine through twelve.
Programs and Resources to Power Your Financial Future:
- PA 529: Pennsylvania’s 529 College and Career Savings Program gives families a simple, flexible, and tax advantaged way to save for the rising costs of higher education, trade schools, apprenticeships, credential programs and K 12 learning—helping them plan for whatever educational path their children choose.
- Keystone Scholars: Keystone Scholars is a statewide program that provides an automatic $100 scholarship invested by Treasury for every child born to or adopted by a Pennsylvania family since 2019 to be used for future higher education and career training expenses.
- PA ABLE: PA ABLE Saving Program accounts provide Pennsylvanians with disabilities and their families the opportunity to save money tax-free without losing access to important benefits.
- Trump Accounts: Trump Accounts are tax-advantaged investment accounts for children to build resources early for education, business start-up costs or the purchase of a new home. Certain children may be eligible for $1,000 deposits provided by the U.S. Treasury or other philanthropic contributions.
- Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) : PHEAA has an interactive tool that helps students calculate the long-term financial impact of their degree and calculate student loans.
- Savings Calculator: A calculator designed to incorporate important aspects of financial wellness.
