How to help kids form healthy relationships with money

CNBC recently spoke with financial psychologist Brad Klontz about how parents can help children form healthy relationships with money. The article features key data from the Council for Economic Education.

As of March 2026, 39 states require a personal finance course for high school graduation, up from just 12 states in 2022, according to CEE’s Survey of the States.

Klontz emphasizes that honest conversations about money, including telling kids “no” and explaining why, give children an early foundation for financial literacy. Research shows kids who learn financial literacy early are more likely to be in better financial shape as adults.

“Those kids end up in much better financial shape later on in life, versus having to learn it the hard way,” Klontz told CNBC.

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families and their communities. We carry out our mission in three ways. We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources — online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide — to more than 40,000 teachers annually, who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program. Learn more at CouncilForEconEd.org and on LinkedIn and on Facebook.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org