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Impact of Financial Education Mandates on Younger Consumers' Use of Alternative Financial Services

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  • Melody Harvey

Abstract

Over one‐quarter of American adults used credit‐based alternative financial services (AFS) in the past five years, which carry a typical APR of 300%. Young adults are especially more likely to use AFS yet are also more likely to be exposed to personal finance education in schools. In this study, I use data from pooled 2012 and 2015 waves of National Financial Capability Study to examine whether state‐mandated financial education impacts young adults' use of AFS. I find that financial education mandates significantly reduced the likelihood and frequency of payday borrowing in particular. Additionally, I show that exposure to required personal finance courses could affect payday borrowing through increased financial literacy and improved financial planning practices. These findings suggest that policymakers and other stakeholders need to understand the full benefits of financial education when making cost–benefit analysis comparisons as to whether or not to implement.

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  • Melody Harvey, 2019. "Impact of Financial Education Mandates on Younger Consumers' Use of Alternative Financial Services," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 731-769, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jconsa:v:53:y:2019:i:3:p:731-769
    DOI: 10.1111/joca.12242
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    Cited by:

    1. Man Yao & Tori I. Rehr & Erica P. Regan, 2023. "Gender Differences in Financial Knowledge among College Students: Evidence from a Recent Multi-institutional Survey," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 693-713, September.
    2. Luedtke, Allison Oldham & Urban, Carly, 2021. "Do High Schools Choose Financial Education Policies Based on Their Neighbors?," IZA Discussion Papers 14288, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Lusardi, Annamaria & Kaiser, Tim, 2024. "Financial literacy and financial education: An overview," CEPR Discussion Papers 19185, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Corsini, Lorenzo & Giannelli, Gianna Claudia, 2021. "Economics education and financial literacy acquisition: Evidence from a field experiment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    5. Urban, Carly, 2022. "Does State-Mandated Financial Education Reduce High School Graduation Rates?," IZA Discussion Papers 15402, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Kaiser, Tim & Lusardi, Annamaria & Menkhoff, Lukas & Urban, Carly, 2022. "Financial education affects financial knowledge and downstream behaviors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(2), pages 255-272.
    7. L’Esperance, Madelaine, 2023. "Nudging credit union members to check their credit: Evidence from a field experiment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    8. Donghoon Lee & Daniel Mangrum & Wilbert Van der Klaauw & Crystal Wang, 2024. "Financial Education and Household Financial Decisions During the Pandemic," Staff Reports 1131, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    9. Elisabeth Sinnewe & Gavin Nicholson, 2023. "Healthy financial habits in young adults: An exploratory study of the relationship between subjective financial literacy, engagement with finances, and financial decision‐making," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(1), pages 564-592, January.
    10. J. Michael Collins & Jeff Larrimore & Carly Urban, 2021. "Does Access to Bank Accounts as a Minor Improve Financial Capability? Evidence from Minor Bank Account Laws," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2021-075, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    11. Marco Angrisani & Sergio Barrera & Luisa R. Blanco & Salvador Contreras, 2021. "The racial/ethnic gap in financial literacy in the population and by income," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 39(3), pages 524-536, July.
    12. Batty, Michael & Collins, J. Michael & O’Rourke, Collin & Odders-White, Elizabeth, 2020. "Experiential financial education: A field study of my classroom economy in elementary schools," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    13. Mangrum, Daniel, 2022. "Personal finance education mandates and student loan repayment," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(1), pages 1-26.
    14. Harvey, Melody & Urban, Carly, 2023. "Does financial education affect retirement savings?," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).

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