Building a Better Future For Our Children

Why Financial Education is the Ultimate Wealth-Building Strategy

Across America, thousands of students graduate high school each year equipped with the skills to solve a quadratic equation but completely unprepared to navigate basic financial literacy, like understanding how to read a credit report or manage a budget.

This gap in education isn’t just an oversight—it’s a national emergency, leaving young adults vulnerable to poor financial decisions and long-term consequences they may not fully understand.

Teaching essential life skills alongside academics is more critical than ever.

“What happens if we don’t teach people how money works? They spend their whole lives working for it—never understanding it.”

— Tom Mathews

The Crisis of Financial Illiteracy Begins in Our Classrooms

The mission of public education is clear: prepare students to succeed as citizens, workers, and contributors to society. Yet, according to Tyton Partners’ 2024 Investing in Tomorrow research, only 23.6% of high school graduates had completed a course in personal finance. This means the majority of students step into adulthood with little to no preparation for managing money—facing challenges like navigating debt, saving for the future, or building wealth without the tools to do so. They are left unarmed against one of the most relentless forces they’ll encounter: the financial system, which touches every aspect of their lives, from housing to healthcare to retirement.

Why is financial education missing from schools? The reasons are complex and multifaceted. Schools are often burdened with curriculum overload, where academic priorities like standardized testing take precedence. Additionally, many districts lack adequately trained teachers who are confident in teaching financial literacy. Historically, real-world money skills have been undervalued, seen as secondary to subjects like math, science, or literature. This systemic neglect has led to a major gap in preparing students for life beyond the classroom.

The consequences of this gap are simple but severe. Without financial literacy, young adults enter the world unequipped for real-life decisions—buying a car, taking on student loans, renting an apartment, managing credit cards, or even building a basic budget. Poor financial decisions can lead to crippling debt, missed opportunities, and years of regret. And the cost of this unpreparedness? It's measured not just in dollars and cents, but in lost dreams, delayed futures, and a generation left struggling to achieve financial independence. Addressing this issue is not just important—it’s urgent. Financial literacy needs to be prioritized in schools to empower the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

When We Don’t Teach Money, We Rob People of Options

The absence of financial literacy isn't just a minor gap—it's devastating and has far-reaching consequences. A lack of financial education limits opportunities, creates unnecessary struggles, and leaves people vulnerable to financial pitfalls that could have otherwise been avoided.

• 66% of Americans are financially illiterate, according to FINRA. This means the majority of people lack the understanding of basic financial concepts needed to make informed decisions.
• Those with low financial knowledge are more likely to accrue high-interest debt, less likely to invest in their future, and often unprepared for emergencies, leaving them unable to handle unexpected expenses or life changes.
• The long-term consequences are even more troubling. Financial illiteracy results in poorer credit scores, costlier loans, less savings, and reduced retirement readiness, which can lead to a lifetime of financial stress and insecurity.

Financial literacy is more than just understanding numbers—it’s about creating freedom and opportunity. As Investing in Tomorrow documents, individuals without financial education face significantly steeper financial hurdles throughout life, often relying on guesswork or bad advice to navigate their finances. In contrast, those who receive personal finance education early make better decisions—consistently and confidently. It’s not a matter of luck. It’s knowledge, and it’s empowering.

Teaching financial literacy creates a ripple effect. It equips people to save more, invest wisely, and manage debt effectively, building a foundation for not only their stability but also that of future generations.

"A lack of financial education creates generational cycles of struggle. A presence of it? That’s how you build legacies."  

— Kim Scouller

Financial education is not just an individual benefit—it's a societal imperative. The question isn’t whether we can afford to teach it. The question is, can we afford not to?

Education Builds Literacy. Literacy Builds Confidence. Confidence Inspires Action.

The path forward is powerful, proven, and impactful. Financial education leads to measurable lifetime benefits—up to $100,000 per student in savings and gains. These benefits come from improved credit scores, smarter loan decisions, better insurance rates, and stronger retirement planning. But the impact of financial literacy goes beyond just numbers—it transforms lives.

When people truly understand how money works, they feel empowered to take control of their financial future. They gain confidence in their ability to make decisions that matter. And that’s where we come in. WealthWave leaders bridge the gap between education and transformation. We don’t just provide information—we mentor. We don’t just teach concepts—we guide individuals step by step toward building a stronger financial foundation.

This is where real confidence is born.

When someone sits down with a WealthWave professional, they aren’t just learning abstract ideas or financial jargon. They’re creating tangible plans to reshape their financial reality. They’re setting up emergency funds to prepare for the unexpected, evaluating insurance options that protect their families, opening investment accounts to grow their wealth, and planning for their children’s college education. And they’re doing it all with a trusted partner who supports them every step of the way.

This partnership turns knowledge into action, and action into transformation. WealthWave professionals don’t just provide tools—they provide clarity, guidance, and encouragement that make financial goals feel achievable.

"Real financial literacy doesn’t stop with a course. It starts there—and grows every time someone decides to act."  

— Brian Loiseau  

At WealthWave, we believe financial literacy isn’t just about knowing the principles—it’s about putting them into practice to create lasting change. Together, we’re empowering people to make informed decisions, unlock opportunities, and build a brighter future for themselves and their families.

This Is Our Moment.

We are witnessing a significant shift in education. As of early 2025, 27 states now require personal finance education to be taught in high schools—a crucial step toward equipping the next generation with essential life skills. However, simply mandating these lessons doesn’t ensure true understanding or mastery. That’s where leadership plays a vital role. That’s where you step in.

At WealthWave, our leaders are already taking action where many schools are still catching up. We’re delivering personal finance education that’s practical, actionable, and transformational—not just theoretical concepts that fade away. We’re bridging the gap between knowledge and real-world application, empowering people to make informed decisions about their financial future.

And here’s an important truth: this mission isn’t optional. It’s essential. In a world where many struggle with financial literacy, we are the ones stepping up to create meaningful change. By investing in people today, we are laying the foundation for a brighter, more secure tomorrow.

This is more than education—it’s a movement. Let’s lead the way together.

Empower. Educate. Lead.

"The future belongs to those who understand how money works. And the leaders who teach it will shape that future."  

— Bill Mitchell

If you're a WealthWave leader, it’s time to amplify your mission and take your impact to the next level:  

• Be the voice: Start meaningful conversations with families about the importance of financial education. Talk to parents about securing a better financial future for their kids, and help individuals see how understanding money can transform their lives. Financial literacy begins with awareness, and your voice can spark that change.  
• Be the mentor: Guide your clients step-by-step, not just teaching them the principles of financial success but empowering them to take action. Be the trusted partner who helps them turn knowledge into real-world results, paving the way toward financial confidence and security.  
• Be the example: Lead by doing. Approach every interaction with clarity, conviction, and purpose. When you demonstrate confidence in how you approach financial education and planning, that confidence will resonate with and inspire others. Leaders who lead by example build trust and create lasting change.  

Let’s work together to close the financial literacy gap that holds so many people back.

Let’s empower individuals and families to unlock generational wealth.

Let’s create a brighter, more secure tomorrow—starting today.

The change begins with us.