IntheJAsurvey,teensreportedasignificantdropinparentssavingasaresultoftherecession—21%thisyearvs.59%lastyear.Asyoumightexpect,teensaremodelingthatbehavior.Just56%plantosavesomeoftheirincome,downfrom89%ayearago,accordingtoJA.It’snotjustaplan;it’shappening,accordingtothePewResearchCenter,whichfoundthatyoungadultsaregettingaslowerstartsavingforretirement.
Itshouldcomeasnosurprisethenthatfewerteensarepracticingsoundmoneymanagementskills.JAfoundathree-foldincreaseinteensthatreportnotbudgeting.ThislargelyconfirmsaseparatesurveybySchwab,whichfoundasharpfalloffinteenmoneymanagementability.Accordingtothatsurvey,justaquarterof18-year-oldsknowhowtomanageacreditcard—downfromtwo-thirds.Lessthanhalfknowhowtochecktheaccuracyofabankstatement—downfrom60%.
Thisallrepresentsahugesetbackinthepushforamorefinanciallyliteratepopulation,whichmanyseeasourbesthopeforstavingoffanotherfinancialcrisis.Inthisenvironment,debilitatingteenmoneymythsaresuretopersist.