Money Is Getting More Complicated — and We Need to Talk About It
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. While we don't cover every company or financial product on the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective editorial perspectives. However, these factors do not influence our editors' opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews. Here is a list of our partners. Making sense of personal finance isn’t always easy. Conversations can help. Published Oct 9, 2026Fact CheckedHow is this page expert verified?NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.More on our editorial rigorAddas a preferred source on Google NerdWallet is committed to editorial integrity.Helpful ResourcesHow to Pay Off Debt: Top Strategies for 2026Credit Score Ranges: What They Mean and How They WorkHow to Make a Budget in 5 Steps28 Proven Ways to Save MoneyI was recently invited to attend the 2026 Teaching Personal Finance Conference at Stanford University. I spent a full day listening to educators from across the country and the world grapple with an important question: How do you teach people about money? There isn’t a simple answer. But one thing I took away is that it’s important to talk about money. That was the whole point of the conference: to share experiences and research, and talk about successes and challenges. Financial literacy is low, according to data from the 2026 TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index. On average, U.S. adults answered less than half (47%) of the 28 index questions correctly. Gen Z scored lower than older generations, answering 38% of questions correctly. The personal finance world is becoming a lot more complicated. “The level and complexity of the decisions that consumers face today is at an all-time high,” says Gustavo Barboza, professor of international business at Loyola University New Orleans. A few decades ago, there were fewer retirement accounts and investment products. Things like cryptocurrency, online sports betting, prediction markets, social media and AI didn’t exist. Now, there’s an overwhelming amount of financial resources at our fingertips. And it’s not always easy to weed out the bad from the good. Financial literacy education is growing; 39 states now require students to complete a personal financial course to graduate high school, according to the 2026 Survey of the States from the Council for Economic Education. That’s four more than in 2024, when the previous survey was conducted. “We need to learn to manage money, because the alternative is that money manages us,” Barboza says. Barboza, who hosted a lunch-and-learn discussion at the Stanford conference about expanding personal finance beyond the classroom, recommends using online tools to learn at your own pace. As several conference speakers pointed out, there’s a ripple effect — people who learn financial concepts and skills often share that knowledge with their friends, families and communities. The more open we are to talking about money, the better we can understand where we are financially and where we want to be, Barboza says. Explore more onThe Financial Glow UpMoney ManagementMaking MoneyPaying Your BillsPersonal FinanceAddas a preferred source on Google NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539NMLS Consumer Access |Licenses and Disclosures California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #60DBO-74812 Insurance Services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no.OK92033) Insurance Licenses California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #603L288 You also can open a Cash Account offered by Atomic Brokerage which allows you to earn interest on your cash through a cash sweep program. View Important Cash Account Disclosures. Neither Atomic Invest nor Atomic Brokerage, nor any of their affiliates is a bank. Investments in securities: Not FDIC Insured, Not Bank Guaranteed, May Lose Value. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Before investing, consider your investment objectives and the fees and expenses charged. NerdWallet™ | 4150 N Drinkwater Blvd, Suite 200, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
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