Make teens (financially) great again

In this piece, we explore why financial literacy for teens is critical now, what happens if we delay, and how governments worldwide are prioritising it

By Sonal Chinchwadkar-Shrotriya and Rohan Chinchwadkar

Published: May 20, 2025 12:18:47 PM IST

Welcome to the modern financial world of tap-to-pay apps, one-click purchases, buy-now-pay-later spending, and constant bombardment of personalised algorithm advertising, marketing, and influencer-driven trends. In navigating today’s money maze, financial literacy isn’t just a skill — it’s a superpower.

For young teens, learning to manage money isn’t about preparing them for some distant future anymore; it has become a necessity of helping them navigate through financial choices they’re already facing. From deciding how to spend their allowance to resisting the lure of in-app purchases, teens are active players in today’s cashless economy. Yet, too often, we leave them to figure it out alone, justifying that it’s too early to expose them to the real world, and assuming they’ll “get it” when they’re older. The truth? Waiting until adulthood is a recipe for costly mistakes.

In this piece, we explore why financial literacy for teens is critical now, what happens if we delay, and how governments worldwide are stepping up to make it a priority.

The High Stakes of Financial Illiteracy

What is an appropriate age for developing good financial habits? A 2013 University of Cambridge study found that core money habits form as early as age seven, and attitudes toward spending and saving are already solidifying by the early teen years. Thus, the negative consequences of delaying financial education could be significant.

Picture an 18-year-old stepping into adulthood: first job, first credit card, first taste of financial freedom. Imagine they’ve never learned to budget, save, or spot a scam. The results can be grim — impulsive spending, crippling debts through buy now pay later, falling prey to predatory loans and scams, or no savings for emergencies and essential goals. Without guidance, teens turn to social media, peers, or flashy ads for cues, often absorbing and succumbing to harmful habits like seeking instant gratification or equating possessions with happiness and status.

By adulthood, these gaps can snowball into serious financial missteps. The 2023 National Report Card on Financial Literacy from Champlain College revealed that students without early financial education are more likely to struggle with debt and risky loans well into their 20s. Starting early isn’t just helpful; it’s essential.

Why Teens Can’t Just “Pick It Up” Later

You might think, “They’ll learn about money when they need to, when they’re paying bills or filing taxes.” However, financial literacy is a complex skill built through practice, mistakes, and repetition. The teenage years are a golden window for this. As noted by adolescent development expert Laurence Steinberg, teens are developing abstract thinking, allowing them to grasp concepts like compound interest or opportunity cost. They also handle real money through allowances, gift cash, part-time jobs, and chore earnings. This offers a fertile, low-stakes environment to practice when the consequences of mistakes are limited and manageable.

Also read: What to look for when choosing your teen's first smartphone

Waiting until adulthood risks missing this developmental sweet spot. By then, teens might be less open to parental guidance or may not be living close enough to actually guide, all when their financial decisions carry bigger risks. A 20-year-old mismanaging a credit card faces late fees and damaged credit scores; a 14-year-old overspending their allowance learns the same lesson without lasting harm.

The Power of Early Financial Literacy

However, teaching financial literacy to young teens is not just about preventing “expensive” mistakes but about empowerment. Structured lessons about budgeting, saving, smart spending, and planning in limited resources build confidence, letting teens take charge of their choices with concrete financial consequences, good or bad. They learn to weigh needs vs wants, like choosing between upgrading sneakers for a soccer game or saving for a concert, reinforcing delayed gratification, a skill linked to long-term success.

These lessons also sharpen practical math skills, turning abstract percentages into real-world tools and creating opportunities to apply them to, say, calculating discounts or interest. Most importantly, early education equips teens to thrive in a digital economy, teaching them to use banking apps safely and spot online fraud before it’s too late.

Parents play a pivotal role here. By modelling thoughtful financial habits like comparing prices, discussing budgets at home, or involving the teens in saving for family goals, families can create a “financial learning workshop” at home. Involving teens in real decisions, like planning a grocery budget or researching a purchase, makes money tangible and builds a shared financial language, as emphasised in resources like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s teen money milestones. While approaching financial literacy, keeping it light and fun to learn is also important. The goal is to help your teen develop lasting habits, while keeping the process hands-on, low-pressure, and filled with moments of learning, fun, laughter, and family time.

Global Push for Financial Literacy

In December 2023, the OECD/INFE 2023 International Survey of Adult Financial Literacy presented comprehensive data on financial literacy across 39 countries. The survey measured financial literacy through the lens of financial knowledge, behaviour, and attitudes. It suggested that while there was a country-wise difference, only 33 percent of adults could be considered competently financially literate on average. This reflects a broader problem: if adults are not financially literate, where does that leave the younger adults?

Also read: Jar: How to build your own pot of gold

This gap has drawn the attention of educators and governments worldwide, who increasingly recognise the urgency of financial literacy. Several governments are already working to weave it into school curricula to better prepare youth for an increasingly complex financial world.

In Australia, financial education is a part of the national curriculum, covering topics like budgeting and consumer rights from primary school. Canada’s Financial Consumer Agency offers free resources for schools, while the UK’s Money and Pensions Service supports programs teaching children about saving and debt. China’s Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the China Securities Regulatory Commission, is working to include financial literacy in primary and secondary school curricula. Scandinavian countries such as Denmark, Finland, and Sweden have introduced a variety of school programs targeting financial literacy.

In the US, the Trump administration (2017–2021) took notable steps to prioritise youth financial literacy. In 2020, the White House released a national strategy to expand financial education in K-12 schools, partnering with private organisations to provide classroom tools, teacher training, and student resources.

India’s New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a bold leap forward. Recognising India’s booming digital economy and rising consumer culture, the NEP emphasises “21st-century skills,” including financial literacy, as core to student development. It calls for integrating practical life skills into school curricula, like budgeting, banking, and investment basics. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) are rolling out programs to teach students about savings, digital payments, and financial safety, aiming to empower a generation to manage money in a rapidly cashless society. These efforts signal a cultural shift, positioning financial literacy as a pillar of India’s educational future.

The Call to Action: Start Now, Start at Home

While government programs are vital, the most impactful and consistent financial lessons will still happen at home. Parents don’t need to be financial experts to make a difference. Simple actions like giving teens an allowance to manage, discussing family budgets, or teaching them to compare prices build critical skills. Encouraging teens to open a bank account, track their spending, set a savings goal for something they want, and simply stay within the resources is an excellent start. These hands-on experiences, paired with open conversations, turn money from a mystery into a tool and money management into a lifelong skill.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. A single financial misstep, an impulsive purchase, a scam, an expensive investment, or a misunderstood loan can derail a young adult’s future. But teens armed with financial literacy enter adulthood with confidence, ready to budget their first paycheck, save for big dreams, or invest wisely. In a world where financial decisions shape every tomorrow, teaching teens about money today is the greatest investment we can make for the future.

About the authors

Sonal Chinchwadkar-Shrotriya is a knowledge management, learning, and communications expert specialising in financial services, consulting for a global financial/multilateral institution.

Rohan Chinchwadkar is an Assistant Professor of Finance at IIT Bombay.

[This article has been reproduced with permission from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai]