Economically disadvantaged youth lack financial knowledge and access to mainstream financial institutions. Instead of aiming for financial literacy, this paper suggests aiming for financial capability, a concept that builds on the writing of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. It develops when people develop financial knowledge and skills, but also gain access to financial instruments and institutions.

In 2010, under the support of the Russian Trust Fund for Financial Literacy and Education, the OECD/INFE launched a project on the role of financial education in financial inclusion. The results of this work show that low levels of financial inclusion are associated with lower levels of financial literacy. Recent research permitted to identify various ways in which policy makers are developing financial education policies for financial inclusion.

This paper undertakes an assessment of a rapidly growing body of economic research on financial literacy. It gives an overview of theoretical research, draws on recent surveys to establish how much (or how little) people know and identify the least financially savvy population subgroups. This is followed by an examination of the impact of financial literacy on economic decision making in the United States and elsewhere. A final section offers thoughts on what remains to be learned if researchers are to better inform theoretical and empirical models as well as public policy.

Child Development Accounts (CDAs) are savings accounts for long-term developmental purposes. Children who grow up knowing they have some assets for postsecondary education may be more future-oriented and may fare better in the long run than children without these assets. This summary of early research findings from the SEED OK experiment may help CDA proponents communicate the value of such accounts to policymakers, educators, and others.

Individual migrants and their families are often amongst the most vulnerable people in society, and many face significant barriers to the access and use of appropriate financial products. This paper seeks to illustrate the key challenges and suggest possible ways forward for measures to support migrant workers and their families and improve their financial literacy.

The Portfolios of the Poor study resulted in financial diaries that collected data systematically, while also capturing the complexities of peoples’ lives. The briefing paper examines research samples from the three countries that took part in the Portfolios of the Poor study. (Original book: Princeton University Press, 2009)