What Is Financial Literacy and Why It Changes Everything for Young Adults - 27

Action Item: Share what you learned about financial literacy with a friend this week and have a money talk.Schedule a free call with Skyler: https://cal.com/earlybirdfp/chatSummaryIn this episode I kick off Financial Literacy Month by breaking down what financial literacy actually is and why it matters so much for young adults right now. I walk through some eye-opening research showing that people with low financial literacy are 2.5 times more likely to spend 10 or more hours stressing about money, and that knowledge gaps may be costing the average person nearly $1,000 a year. I also share a free self-assessment tool so you can see exactly where your financial literacy stands today, along with practical steps to start improving it. Then I walk through Tanner's case study, a 26-year-old who went from $6,200 in credit card debt and zero retirement savings to fully paid off cards, a growing emergency fund, and real confidence about his financial future, all because he started learning and taking small consistent steps.Resources & Links MentionedTIAA Institute / GFLEC Personal Finance Index (P-Fin Index): https://gflec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025-P-Fin-Index-Infographic-Brief-May-22.pdfWalletHub Financial Literacy Statistics: https://wallethub.com/edu/b/financial-literacy-statistics/25534WalletHub WalletLiteracy Score Test (take this and drop your score in the comments): https://wallethub.com/wallet-literacy-scoreCarry.com: How Financially Literate Is America: https://carry.com/learn/how-financially-literate-is-america-key-statsKhan Academy Free Personal Finance Course: https://www.khanacademy.org/college-careers-more/personal-financeIntuit: 7 Ways to Improve Your Financial Literacy: https://www.intuit.com/blog/innovative-thinking/financial-tips/how-to-improve-financial-literacy/Intuit: The Benefits and Importance of Financial Literacy: https://www.intuit.com/blog/innovative-thinking/financial-tips/how-to-improve-financial-literacy/Timestamps[00:00] Why low financial literacy is costing you more than you think[02:06] What financial literacy actually means and where Americans stand[05:37] Why this topic matters specifically for young adults and what it costs you each year[06:54] Take the WalletLiteracy test and find out where you stand[07:29] How to actually improve your financial literacy starting today[10:01] The real benefits of becoming financially literate[13:27] Tanner's case study: from $6,200 in credit card debt to financial confidenceEmail me at [email protected]