Could Financial Literacy Change the World?

04/16/25 • 27 min

Only a third of the global population is financially literate. Why? Because most of us don’t learn the basics of personal finance in school — or elsewhere.

Treating financial literacy as an afterthought can have serious consequences, from personal calamities to economic crises, according to Annamaria Lusardi, a professor of finance and the director of the Initiative for Financial Decision-Making at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

On this episode of If/Then, Lusardi makes the case for treating financial education like preventative care: essential, cost-effective, and an enormous opportunity to improve people’s lives, boost workplace performance, and strengthen economic resilience.

“We should learn about money as soon as possible,” Lusardi says. “As soon as the tooth fairy comes.”

Where do you go for financial advice? Tell us more at [email protected].

This episode was recorded on November 5, 2024.

Previous Episode

Adapting To Massive Technological Change

Susan Athey, the Economics of Technology Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business and founding director of the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab, studies the impact of technological innovations on workers, businesses, and society.

Will the world’s economies successfully adapt to a future defined by artificial intelligence? On this episode, Athey shares what the stories of 22,000 laid-off workers in Sweden can tell us about who recovers from economic turmoil, how small design changes and product features can have outsize societal impact, and how AI could transform the way we work, from hiring to healthcare.

What’s the best way to build a future that effectively integrates AI and supports workers? Tell us more at [email protected].

This episode was recorded on December 16, 2024.