Teaching teens financial smarts

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 2, 2007

SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

Legacy Community Federal Credit Union recently launched &8220;Teen Education About Money.&8221; The TEAM program works with area schools to increase financial literacy among teens.

Estimates show that one-third of all high school seniors use a credit card, but fewer than 30 percent have access to money management or personal finance courses in school. Young Americans, ages 18-24, spend nearly 30 percent of their monthly income on debt repayment, according to statistics reported by the Young Americans Center for Financial Education.

As a community-chartered credit union, Legacy has developed a teen financial literacy and advocacy program.

The TEAM program serves area schools with education about finance and the impact it has on the lives of young adults. The TEAM program is offered free of charge to high schools within the seven-county area that Legacy serves. Each school&8217;s program is individually tailored to the specific needs of the student body.

The courses can be offered individually or combined to maximize effectiveness. Courses available include: Living Within Your Means, The Importance of Savings, Managing a Savings Account, Building a Basic Budget, Interest Basics and The Wise Use of Credit.

Interested schools should contact Kathy Robinson at (205) 933-9933 or mailto:krobinson@legacycreditunion.com