U.S. Personal Finance Certification Examination

Financial literacy skills are workforce readiness skills!

COMING SOON

TARGET POPULATIONS

All high school students and adult learners are welcome to take the U.S. Personal Finance Certification Examination (USPFCE).  However, the target populations include:

• High school students in Title 1 schools or reading below grade level

• Adult learners with limited education, income, or literacy

RATIONALE
The personal finance knowledge and skills required for low socioeconomic individuals and high socioeconomic individuals often differ based on their financial situations, access to resources, and financial goals.  While both groups should be financially literate, low-income individuals often focus more on survival, managing immediate financial needs, and navigating challenges related to limited resources.  In contrast, high-income individuals tend to focus on wealth building, investment strategies, tax optimization, and long-term financial planning.  Both groups benefit from financial literacy, but the depth and focus of the knowledge and skills differ based on their financial context.

NEED

Career preparation requires knowing how to successfully earn and manage money.  The USPFCE is an important step toward financial security for the target populations who lack readiness for and access to more advanced certifications by assessing more foundational, practical, and timely personal finance knowledge and skills.

SCOPE

The USPFCE is an entry-level exam that is customized to assess a foundational understanding of practical and timely personal finance knowledge and skills that the target populations need to know “yesterday” (e.g., setting up a bank account and starting a 401K for retirement) rather than more abstract content (e.g., how banks and stock markets work) that are topics assessed by more advanced certifications. 

LITERACY LEVEL

The USPFCE is written on a lower middle school reading level but still includes the same important personal finance content required for successful money management by high school students and adult learners.

INDUSTRY APPROVED

The USPFCE is approved by academic experts and industry leaders from the following stakeholder groups:  banking, credit unions, insurance, credit cards, wealth management, certified financial planning, universities, community colleges, adult education (ABE, HSE/GED, ESL), correctional education, workforce development, immigrant services, tribal nations, and Title 1 high schools.  The specific names of businesses and education organizations are withheld to avoid the perception of commercial solicitation and endorsement.

CTE & IET FINANCE PROGRAMS

Personal finance knowledge and skills are transferable to entry-level finance careers requiring a high school diploma for those who are just starting out in the finance industry, looking to gain on-the-job training needed for promotions or further education and more advanced certifications.  Examples include:  bank teller, customer service representative (financial accounts), loan processor, accounting clerk, bookkeeper, insurance agent assistant, credit analyst assistant, collections representative, financial services representative, tax preparer assistant, and sales support in investment firms.

PREPARATION RESOURCES

The Exam Resources Package includes:

Free Exam Manual

Credential Administrators & Partners

Examination Information, Administration & Ordering

Examination Blueprint

Personal Finance Competencies

Study Guide / Curriculum Framework

Practice Exam

Vocabulary List

NOTE:  The Online Personal Finance Institutes for high school teachers and adult educators (two separate Institutes) are offered annually.  The Institutes are aligned with the U.S. Personal Finance Certification Examination, equipping participants with the content knowledge, instructional strategies, curriculum, and 400+ classroom-ready resources that they need to prepare high school students and adult learners to pass the Exam.  3-Hours of university undergraduate or graduate credit is optional for $135.