Tony’s Take: 10 Things Moving the Needle in Financial Literacy

👋 Welcome to The Get Ready Movement Newsletter

Each week, I share what’s catching my attention in the world of financial literacy—from trends and tools to the people reshaping how we teach, talk about, and take action around money. Whether you're a financial educator, advisor, or someone who just wants to stay informed, here’s what I think matters this week.

10 Things I Think (About Money, Life & What’s Next)

1. What’s Moving the Needle: Weekly Action Item

💥  Review Your Checking and Savings Accounts. Checking and savings accounts are the foundation of your financial life. They provide a safe place to store money and help you start saving intentionally.

• ▶️ Action: Monitor your bank accounts to minimize fees and maximize interest rates.

💡 Consider interest rates, fees, institution type, and customer service.

💭 Tony’s Take: A good financial plan starts with the basics. Too often, people overlook the small fees or missed interest that quietly erode their progress. Reviewing your accounts regularly is a simple, empowering habit that builds awareness and control.

2. Big Idea to Share: 

💬 Deposit Insurance. Verify that bank accounts have deposit insurance, which provides guarantees up to a specific amount, in the event your bank goes under. Banks should be FDIC members (fdic.gov), and credit unions should participate in the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (ncua.gov).

📌 Tip: Some online banks may not carry FDIC insurance.

📖 Learn More: What Is FDIC Insurance? by Patrick Means for Charles Schwab (here).

3. Big Question to Ask: 

❓Do you need to make any changes to your bank accounts? 

💭 Tony’s Take: Most people stick with the same accounts for years without realizing their needs—and options—have changed. A quick review can uncover better interest rates, lower fees, or align your banking with your values. This is low-effort, high-impact financial housekeeping.

4. Thought of the week: Be Confident. Believe in Yourself.

4a. The Power of Believing in Yourself: How to Achieve Success with Money

🔹 Believe that you deserve success. Money is for everyone, not just for rich people

🔹 Be compassionate with yourself.

🔹Talking about money gives you power.

🔹 Women deserve what they earn. 

🎙️ Odonoo Idersaikhan and Tony Steuer on The Get Ready Money Podcast. Watch or listen to the podcast (here) (also available on YouTube and your favorite podcast app)

4b. Confidence Isn’t Competence: Why Financial Education Needs More Integrity

💡 Passion without knowledge is dangerous. People deserve more than a good talk. They deserve the truth. Teach with: intention, care and integrity.

📖 By Dr. Severine Bryan on (LinkedIn)

4C. Tony Steuer Outlines “The Get Ready Blueprint

💡 Financial confidence starts with asking the right questions.

How to help young adults—especially recent grads—become financially prepared and confident.

🎙️ With John Lanza and Tony Steuer on The Art of The Allowance Podcast. Listen (here).

4d. What’s Holding You Back From Financial Freedom? 

🔹 Shannah’s new book “Unraveling Your Relationship With Money”. 

🔹 There isn’t a perfect way to do money. 

🔹 Grant yourself financial forgiveness. 

🔹 Wealth building is a journey. 

🎙️ With Shannah Game and Tony Steuer on The Get Ready Money Podcast. Check it out (here).

5. Finding True Wealth

5a. Discovering the True Meaning of Wealth.

💡 Brian shares his concept of "funded contentment," the distinction between being rich and being wealthy, and how financial advisors can support clients beyond just numbers.

🎙️ With Brian Portnoy and Larry Sprung on the Mitlin Money Mindset Podcast. Watch on (YouTube).

5b. True Wealth vs Riches | Why You're Chasing the Wrong Damn Thing.

💡 The real difference between being rich and being wealthy, why money exposes who you already are, and how to build a life where the memories matter more than the money. 

🎙️ With Stoy Hall on the Let’s Get Real Podcast. Watch on (YouTube).

💭 Tony’s Take: Real wealth is about more than money, it’s about leading a fulfilled life.

6. Retirement Mindset 

6a. You Just Retired (or Are About to). Now What?

💡 Strategies for spending, investing, Social Security, and taxes.

📖 By Christine Benz for Morningstar. Read it (here)

6b. How to Pay Taxes in Retirement: What You Need to Know

🎙️ With Eric Blake on The Simply Retirement Podcast. Listen (here)

6c. How Life Expectancy Impacts Retirement

📖 By Chris Mamula for Can I Retire Yet? Read it (here).  

6d. Are Dividends and Income Part of My Retirement Withdrawal Rate?

📖 by Jesse Cramer for Best Interest Blog (read here)

7.  Warning Signs and Red Flags of Financial Abuse.

💡 Many women don’t realize they’re in an abusive situation until they’re deep in it. 

💭 Tony’s Take: Financial literacy also means recognizing when something isn’t right. Abuse often hides in plain sight, and education is our first line of defense

🎙️ With Jennifer Solarte, Maggie Nielsen and Barbara Provost on the   Women & Money: The Shit We Don't Talk About! Watch on (YouTube)

8. We Need To Talk About Money

8a. Talking About Death, Planning for Peace. 

💡 Grief, legacy and the money conversations we avoid. Why open conversations about death and money reduce family conflict and emotional trauma.

🎙️ Dr. Kimberly Harms and Shannah Game on the Everyone’s Talkin’ Money Podcast (Apple Podcasts)

8b. Discussing Legacy and Long-Term Care with Aging Parents

💡 How to begin these discussions, what documents matter most, and why talking now can save a lot of confusion later. It’s not just about the money—it’s about meaning, values, and dignity.

🎙️ With Preston Cherry on the Life Money Balance Podcast - Watch on (YouTube)

💭 Tony’s Take: Conversations create peace of mind. We need to talk about money—especially around death, legacy, and caregiving.

9. Helping Your Community Find Success

9a. Three Financial Principles: The Key to Long-Term Success and Freedom

💡 Includes The Flow Chart of Financial Success: Navigate common financial priorities and keep you on track.

📖 By Prudence Zhu on (LinkedIn).

9b. Understanding Financial Trauma: How Advisors Can  Recognize the Invisible Barriers to Client Success

💡 Financial trauma silently shapes your clients' decisions regardless of their net worth

🎙️ Rahkim Sabree and Ashley Quamme on the Planning and Beyond Podcast (Apple Podcasts)

10. Tariffs, Recession Risk and Volatility

10a. The Lighter Side of Tariffs.

📖 The Novel Investor read it (here) 

10b. Apollo’s Chief Economist, Torsten Slok, Estimates a 90 Percent Odds of Recession

💡 A stark warning about our economy's near-term economic and financial futures.

🎙️ With Torsten Slok and Laurence Kotlikoff on the Economics Matters Podcast (here)

10c. What Now? An Investor’s To-Do List for Chaotic Markets

💡 A down market offers opportunities to check progress toward your long-term investing goals—and even save on taxes.

📖 By Christine Benz for Morningstar. Read the article (here).

10d. Market Volatility: Which Investments Will Protect Your Portfolio in a Recession?

💡 Plus, when you should shift from riskier assets to safer ones before retirement.

📖 By Amy Arnott and Ivanna Hampton for Morningstar. Check it out (here).

10e. Tariff-induced recession risk

💡 The Trump Administration’s dramatic tariff moves have upended decades of US trade policy, sparking a rapid reassessment of the US and global economic outlook and a surge in tariff-induced recession fears.

📖 Goldman Sachs - read the report (here)

💭 Tony’s Take: Don’t let headlines hijack your plan. Focus on your long term goals.

🚀  Bonus: 5 Quick Hits: 

• Are you changing the way we think about money?  The Plutus Awards celebrate excellence in personal finance content. Learn more (here)
• A Process for Rewiring Financial Behavior and Identity with Danielle Howard and Brendan Frazier on The Human Side of Money Podcast (Apple Podcasts)
• How to File a Tax Return for a Deceased Taxpayer. Answers to common questions about handling this difficult task by Cameron Huddleston for AARP (read here). 
• Do Not Ignore Your Mortality: Practical Advice From a Funeral & Financial Insider by Greg Barnsdale. Check it out on (Bookshop).
• Why Every Family Needs a Wealth Command Center with LaVaisha Davis and Naseema McElroy on the Financially Intentional Podcast. Watch on (YouTube).

📂 Member Resources

Get Ready Library members can access this week’s resources from your dashboard (located in Monthly Focus Area 5: Net Worth, Week 18):

• The Get Ready Blueprint week 18 worksheet where you’ll review your checking and savings accounts in more detail. 
• Checking and savings accounts worksheet.
• Discussion Guide:  Are you making any changes with your bank accounts?
• Ask Tony AI about this week’s action item

 Access Your Get Ready Resources here

Note: Available to all members of The Get Ready Movement.

Support The Get Ready Movement here.  

 Support the Get Ready Movement

📝 Final Word

Confidence with money doesn’t come from having all the answers—it comes from asking the right questions, communicating with intention, and revisiting the basics when needed. Whether it’s reviewing your bank accounts or rethinking what true wealth means, small steps lead to lasting change.”

If you found something valuable here, please share.

Until next time, let’s change the way we think about money and how we help others get ready.

Cheers,

Tony

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