Financial health means having day-to-day financial systems in place to manage income and expenses. It means having resiliency against unexpected shocks in the form of accessible financial options to handle ups and downs. That resiliency can help people plan, invest and take advantage of future opportunities. But, according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), in 2009, only 35 percent of Americans had a “rainy day” fund. Forty percent were just making the minimum payment on their credit cards. Twenty percent were spending more than their income every month.
Galvanized by the idea of financial capability, the Citi Foundation and CFSI set out to explore its potential. The two organizations sought out methods to help consumers improve their financial behavior by combining relevant, timely, actionable, and ongoing guidance with access to high-quality financial products and services.