If you're an educator who wants to incorporate financial literacy into your curriculum, we're here to make your job easier. Our Certified Financial Counselors (FiCEP) have put together a free program for you to use to educate your high school and college-age students.

You can use our resources to educate your students about best financial practices—plus key financial products and terms—so they won’t be in the dark about money and debt as they start their financial journeys.

Why Is Financial Literacy Important?

For some kids, financial literacy might begin in early childhood when they get money jars labeled with “Spend”, “Save”, “Share." These children learn the value of money at a young age and that it's best not to spend it all on toys or candy right away.

But what happens if these skills aren't taught at home? That's when it becomes highly important for educators to incorporate financial literacy and wellness into their students' education.

Here's how financial literacy can benefit your students:

• They’ll know which accounts to open at different stages of their financial journey.

• They'll learn how taxes work and about fair wages.

• They'll know how to avoid paying extra fees and charges.

• They'll take early steps to establish and build credit.

• They'll borrow sensibly and possibly avoid a lifetime of student loan debt.

It has been shown that students who enter the workforce with a sound financial education mature into employees who are:

• More focused

• More confident

• Less stressed

• Less likely not to show up for work

Ultimately these qualities result in highly productive employees who are promoted more frequently and stay in their jobs longer.

Building a Financial Literacy Curriculum

Listerhill Credit Union has developed a financial literacy program so educators can support students on their financial journeys—and employers can support their employees.

We believe that if you can help your students develop a solid understanding of the financial world right now, your students may be more likely to achieve financial success and stability later.

Best of all, you don't need any additional staffing or resources to start teaching your new curriculum. Subjects covered include:

Checking Account Basics: How to manage accounts, avoid fees, and understand overdraft options.

Spending Plans: Utilizing specific tools to create—and stick to—a spending plan.

Understanding Credit: How to build and protect your credit without going into debt.

The Cost of Credit: Understanding the total cost of borrowing money and how to choose the best options for you.

Essential Financial Products to Explore

Once your students graduate and join the workforce, they may be interested in opening a bank account or learning more about their options.

Here are a few talking points you can integrate into your financial literacy curriculum:

Not All Checking Accounts Are Equal

Your students likely already have a checking account but you can teach them about:

• The differences between a basic account compared to one where they may earn interest

• How to avoid a monthly fee, ATM surcharges, and other fees

• How to avoid dipping into overdraft or incurring non-sufficient fund (NSF) fees

Savings Products Are Designed for Different Goals

Educators and students can explore:

• Differences between savings accounts, including Money Market, Certificates, and IRAs

• Learn about when they should open an account (it's never too early!)

• How these accounts can complement an employer-sponsored 401(k)

Always Read the Fine Print When Borrowing

Teach your students the borrowing essentials such as:

• How different loans work, including auto loans, personal loans, mortgages, and credit cards

• How you get your credit score and how it affects your approvals and rates

• How loan terms affect rates, fixed vs. variable rates, intro vs. regular rates, and more

Benefits for Educators and Students

As a Listerhill Partner, you and your fellow educators—and students—can access all the benefits on offer to members of the credit union:

• Open an account right away: If you enlist a team member to visit your institution, we can immediately assist educators or students who would like to open an account.

• Easy account management: Your students will already be digital natives but they may want to learn more about the benefits of Online and Mobile Banking, like 24/7 account access, Smart ATMs, eStatements vs. paper statements, and more.

• Ongoing support: Your students might want guidance about making “grown-up” financial decisions involving retirement or life insurance plans. As an added benefit, they'll have access to financial planning resources and tools, so they can start building financial security at a young age.

Listerhill Can Help You Create Your Financial Literacy Curriculum

We've designed our financial literacy program to be accessible and helpful for educators like you by providing a simple framework to build your curriculum.

Companies that offered our program to their employees said it contributed to building loyalty plus helped their organization stand out in a competitive employment market. If you incorporate our program into your financial wellness initiatives, we are confident that it could have a similar positive impact on your students.

Learn more about this program by contacting our Director of Financial Health today!

Sarah Evans

Phone: 256-383-9204 ext. 1269 | Email: sevans@listerhill.com