A decade of tracking financial literacy in America: Findings from the 2026 TIAA Institute–GFLEC Personal Finance Index

For 10 years, the TIAA Institute–GFLEC Personal Finance Index (P-Fin Index) has examined financial literacy among U.S. adults. This is a unique survey covering the same set of questions over time but also adding new information in each wave. Unfortunately, results over the decade point to persistently low financial literacy, leaving many Americans at a disadvantage in an increasingly complex personal finance landscape. Each year, U.S. adults have correctly answered only about one-half of the 28 index questions, on average. In 2026, this figure was 47%, and it has never exceeded 52%.

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