Bankrate.com commissioned a national poll to
gauge Americans' financial literacy and help them master their money.
The major findings of the study are outlined below. (See our newest
Financial Literacy
Survey.)
America's financial literacy
grade
No one will show their parents this report
card, which grades Americans on a dozen concrete steps that mark
them as being financially literate, such as reading their financial
statements, checking their credit and shopping for better deals.
There's a substantial disconnection between Americans'
confident bluster about their money-management skills and their
actual behavior, the survey shows.
Good news for boomers. Our survey
shows that age brings financial wisdom. Here's how gender, education,
income level and age affect financial literacy.
When it comes to fear, our nation's consumers worry
most about the affect of terrorism on their personal finances and
on the country as a whole. We offered 10 possible fears, here's
how America ranked them.
Americans with a firm grasp on
their finances are richer in many ways. Smart money management brings
peace of mind and puts money in your pocket, the survey shows.
The many rewards of financial literacy
We've identified 12 steps that
indicate smart money skills -- and offer ways to close the gap between
knowing what to do and doing it.
12 steps to financial literacy
How
do you rank against the rest of America when it comes to financial literacy?
Take our quiz to learn your financial literacy grade. Click
here for the test!
How
do you rank against the rest of America when it comes to financial literacy?
Take our quiz to learn your financial literacy grade.