Why Are We Still Failing Young Adults in Financial Education?

For all the years we spend in school, you’d think we’d graduate knowing how to manage our money. Yet, financial education is glaringly absent from our schools, colleges, and even workplaces.

Parents, too, often struggle to teach their kids about money beyond a weekly allowance or maybe setting up a bank account when they turn 16. But what about the real-world financial decisions that come later—budgeting for rent, understanding credit, investing for the future, or even knowing how to pay taxes?

Let’s be honest—by the time most young adults face these challenges, they’re learning the hard way. A paycheck hits their account, and before they know it, it’s gone. Student loans pile up. Credit card debt sneaks in. And when they decide to start a business? That’s when they realize financial education isn’t optional—it’s survival.

A Personal Lesson in Financial Education

I made it a point to start early with my two daughters. When they were 13, I set up savings accounts for them at a credit union and installed the banking app on their iPhones so they could track their money. By 16, they were eligible for secured credit cards, so I got them each a $250 limit card and had them use it for school lunches and mall shopping. The rule was simple: pay off the balance every month. By the time they turned 18, they both had FICO scores above 750.

I’ll never forget the day I took my older daughter, then 21, to buy her first car. We applied for the loan with her as the primary borrower and me as the co-signer. When the salesman ran our credit checks, he was stunned—her FICO score was higher than mine. He turned to her and said, “You’re lucky to have a dad who set you up for success.”

The look of gratitude on her face in that moment more than made up for all the “You don’t know anything, Dad” comments I’d endured throughout her teenage years. 😎

Now, both my daughters are financially independent. They have their own brokerage accounts, trade options, file their own taxes, and invest wisely. And they both encouraged me to share what I taught them with other young people.

That’s Why I Created Cash Course

Cash Course is a no-nonsense, practical, and engaging financial education program designed for young adults (18-25). It covers exactly what they need to know as they navigate the next big chapter in life—whether they’re graduating high school, entering college, starting their first job, or launching their own business.

From Finance 101 to Investing, Taxes, Money Management, and “Die With Zero” strategies, Cash Course gives them the tools to make smart financial decisions early. The kind of knowledge that prevents costly mistakes and sets them up for long-term success.

If you have a son, daughter, or young adult in your life, now is the time to give them the financial education they never got in school.

👉 Sign them up today at https://www.appmosis.com/cashcourse

Because the best time to learn about money was yesterday.

The second-best time is right now. 🚀