Rep. Steve Stivers: Take Time in April to Learn Something New About Finances

Apr 22, 2013
Editorial

I am honored to serve as the co-chair of the Congressional Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus along with my colleague Congressman Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX-15). I truly believe this issue is so important because many of our country's economic problems can be addressed by educating Americans of all ages on financial literacy.

The month of April is National Financial Literacy Month and serves as an outstanding opportunity to review our own finances, learn something new on this issue, or teach our children about fiscal responsibility. 

I was pleased to learn of a recent Fidelity Investments survey that looked at Americans’ spending habits since the recession hit.  According to the survey, Americans have been doing a better job saving for retirement, paying off their debt, and saving for emergencies.  The poll found that 42 percent of those polled increased their emergency fund, 72 percent said they have less debt now than when the recession started, and 42 percent have increased their retirement savings.

Americans have become more fiscally responsible in these tough economic times. This is the good news.  The bad news is that there is still work to be done.  Around 28 percent of Americans have no savings cushion and nearly a fourth of those in the middle class don’t have a significant retirement savings.  We are all responsible for our own fiscal future.  Learning about IRAs and mutual funds, regularly contributing money to a savings account, or implementing a retirement plan are just a few steps that can be taken to become more financially secure.  These steps can mean the difference between retiring at a time of your choosing and continuing to work well after you hit retirement age. If you would like to learn more about setting yourself up for financial success, there a few opportunities to learn more about this important issue.

One option is the 11th Annual Financial Literacy Day on Capitol Hill, which will be held Friday, April 26, 2013, from 12:00 - 3:30 p.m. at the Cannon House Office Building, in the Cannon Caucus Room. There are also a few websites that may be helpful, if you would like to learn more.  One source is the U.S. Treasury Department’s resource center, which can be found at: http://www.treasury.gov .  Another good website to check out is the FDIC Money Smart website. More information on the FDIC program can be found at: http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/index.htmlWe also should take this opportunity to talk to our children about fiscal responsibility.  A recent Columbus Dispatch story by Theodore Decker highlighted that today’s younger Americans are uneducated on the negative impact of carrying too much debt.  It is estimated that this generation of young people are taking on more credit card debt than the generations who came before them. 

As a parent of two small children myself, I know it is important we help the next generation understand finances and the impact of their financial decisions.  When I was younger, my dad gave me a credit card with a $200 limit.  With the low limit placed on the card, I was able to responsibly learn how credit worked, while he was able to monitor my progress.  And when the time comes in the near future, I plan to teach my own children how money and spending works, the importance of saving, and being responsible with credit.  

If you are looking for resources to talk with your children about finances, check out the Jump$tart website.  It is a national coalition of organizations dedicated to improving financial literacy in those in kindergarten through college.  The Jump$tart website can be found at: http://www.jump$tart.org/.

This April, I hope you will consider taking steps to learn something new about finances. Perhaps you could set up a family budget, or just talk to your kids about financial responsibility.  Even small steps can make a difference in your financial future.  If you have any questions about this, or any other federal issue, please feel free to contact my office at (202) 225-2015.