Stephen F. Austin State University’s Post

🎉 Did you know March is National Credit Education Month? 🎉 As a financial wellness expert, personal finance author, and on The Good Steward Financial System (TGS) Advisory Board, I’m thrilled to celebrate this month dedicated to empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools to build a solid financial future. Understanding the ins and outs of credit is crucial for achieving financial success. Throughout Credit Education Month, let’s increase awareness about the importance of maintaining a positive credit profile and providing actionable strategies to improve credit scores. I’m committed to sharing practical insights from my experience to help individuals make informed decisions about their financial well-being. Utilize resources like The Good Steward Financial System (TGS) app helping to prepare for first home ownership or this “Credit Mastery Guide” by National Financial Educators Council to gain a deeper understanding of credit management and develop a roadmap for financial success. Together, let’s pave the way towards a brighter financial future! 💳💡 #CreditEducationMonth #FinWell360 #FinancialWellness #Empowerment

💭 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳 💭   What if your future self handed you the keys to your dream home, shared a heartwarming story about selecting wedding rings, or spoke lovingly about your growing family?   Research shows that people who connect with their future selves are more likely to plan for the long term, save more money, and build greater wealth.   I was reminded of this powerful insight during a recent lunchtime session on financial education for my colleagues.   Although I’ve transitioned from the Westpac Financial Education team, my passion for empowering others to build their financial confidence is as strong as ever.   Here are some key insights we explored:   𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀   Adopting a positive attitude toward financial health is crucial. Your mindset can be your greatest asset.   𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳   Visualising your older self can motivate you to make better financial decisions today. Studies show that those who see themselves in the future are more inclined to make long-term plans and save effectively.   𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀   - Review Your Budget: Identify and plug those spending leaks.   - Shop Around: Compare utilities and review your insurance cover.   - Commit to a Savings Plan: Set achievable goals and stick to them.   Changing habits is undoubtedly challenging, but there’s immense power in long-term thinking.   As I like to say, "Who better to have a chat with than someone who has your best interests at heart and who you trust—yourself?"   For more insights on making behavioral changes for your financial well-being, check out my Westpac Wire article, "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘵 – 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧."   #PersonalFinance   #FinancialEducation   #MindsetMatters   James Thornhill

📊 The TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index shows that many US adults have low financial literacy. This highlights the important role credit unions play in making financial education accessible to everyone. Leaning on her experience and working with hundreds of credit unions throughout her career, our very own Amanda Garcia Merz, VP of Impact and Development, shares with CUInsight.com the top five ways that credit unions should consider promoting financial literacy in their communities.   Read more here >>> https://lnkd.in/g_8KcGUz   #CaliforniaCreditUnions #MembersImpact #FinancialLiteracy

Join our upcoming TransUnion Live to unlock exclusive insights on: ◼️ Impacts of credit education tools on financial inclusion ◼️ Positive outcomes associated with consumer credit monitoring ◼️ Practical tips for using financial education tools as part of your financial inclusion strategy Speakers: Lindsey (Whitehead) Downing Chris LaConte Host: Andrew Goss #CreditMonitoring #ConsumerCredit #FinancialInclusion

Understanding risk literacy is not just an optional skill, but an essential part of making sound financial decisions. By integrating risk literacy into participant education, plan sponsors can arm participants with the tools to make wiser, more comprehensive financial choices. https://ow.ly/fLjL50SLLV8

Understanding risk literacy is not just an optional skill, but an essential part of making sound financial decisions. By integrating risk literacy into participant education, plan sponsors can arm participants with the tools to make wiser, more comprehensive financial choices. https://ow.ly/x2kT50QINjo

Understanding risk literacy is not just an optional skill, but an essential part of making sound financial decisions. By integrating risk literacy into participant education, plan sponsors can arm participants with the tools to make wiser, more comprehensive financial choices. https://ow.ly/ZRB050RYy5B

Today we published our Financial Education report. In it we highlight the importance of financial education, a fundamental life skill, to the future financial resilience and wellbeing of children and young people.   As well as looking at what is currently taking place to support teachers, community leaders, parent carers, vulnerable children and young people, we also share the actions we’d like the government to take forward as part of the proposed National Financial Inclusion strategy, to ensure that every child has access to a meaningful financial education throughout their school life. The aim of financial education is to equip our children and young people with the knowledge to achieve financial stability and independence, enabling informed financial decision-making throughout different life stages. Thank you to those who contributed data and insights including: Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Metro Bank (UK), Nationwide Building Society, NatWest Group, Santander UK and Virgin Money. To read the report in full: https://lnkd.in/e3Qk3J4t    #UKFinance #FinancialInclusion #Education

Having an iX alumnus serving as a Vice President within Wealth Management at one of the biggest banks globally is a pinch-me moment! Our graduates continue to exceed all expectations — and what’s most mindblowing is that incoming students get access to this network. As iX ages, the ROI increases exponentially as older alumni occupy more senior positions. Here’s to you Danielle Mileto, what an achievement. #iX #iXSummer2024 #WealthManagement #InvestmentBanking #InvestmentFinance #HedgeFund #CareerGrowth #Finance