Improving the implementation of the national strategy of senior citizens’ financial awareness: regional aspect[Совершенствование Реализации Государственной Стратегии Финансовой Грамотности Пожилых Людей: Региональный Аспект]

The purpose of the article is to study implementation directions of the national strategy of the senior citizens’ financial capability in the Russian Federation and the Sverdlovsk region. Methods. The research methodology employed by the authors of the article is based on the theory of social status, social role and social community. The actions of the elderly citizens, their relations to financial awareness and the choice of ways to increase its level reveal the characteristics of the role. To confirm theoretical conclusions, statistical data was analyzed and a secondary analysis of data obtained through a sociological research (n = 5 thousand) was used. The authors also used the results of their own representative survey of elderly citizens (n = 417) residing in the Sverdlovsk region were interviewed. Results and conclusions. The economic characteristics of elderly citizens include financial awareness as a combination of reader, mathematical and digital capability in such subject areas as money and operations with them; personal finance planning and management; risks and rewards; financial environment. In the Russian Federation a Strategy for increasing financial awareness with the participation of state authorities and local self-government bodies, banks and their associations, universities, state and municipal institutions is implemented. As part of the strategy, conditions are created to increase financial awareness of different age categories, including elderly citizens. To inform senior citizens, there are financial literacy centers and “My Finance” Internet portal. In the regions, there are schools for senior citizens and third age universities. However, despite the organizational efforts and the resources spent, quite few elderly citizens trace the dependence of their income on their financial awareness level. An advanced level of financial awareness, which allows receiving additional income, takes a long time to form. At the same time, many elderly Russians are at a very basic level of financial awareness, their involvement in training is minimal. The authors provide specific recommendations to address the problems revealed.