Sure, understanding the basics of money—like budgeting, credit, and saving—is important. But teaching someone financial literacy is like giving them vocabulary without teaching them to speak: it doesn’t lead to real-life confidence or freedom. It’s time to raise the bar and aim for financial fluency, with sights firmly set on financial freedom.

You might ask, "Wait a second, what’s wrong with financial literacy?” The U.S. financial literacy rate has stubbornly lingered around 49% for nearly a decade, with Gen Z scoring even lower (around 38%) and people with low financial literacy are more likely to be debt-constrained (twice as likely) and financially fragile (three times more likely).¹ So despite efforts to change these low numbers, current financial education remains transactional—focused on just naming terms and facts, not understanding strategy or the emotional context of true financial literacy.²

So why is financial fluency the new goal? Financial fluency goes beyond definitions—it’s about applying financial insights in real life with confidence and strategy. It’s understanding how your investments, spending habits, and life goals align. It means knowing how to pivot—not panic—when unexpected events happen. As Edvisors puts it, fluency is using financial knowledge "to make sound decisions that protect and grow your financial resources".

At XML, we believe money helps to empower freedom—not just finances. That’s why we move beyond teaching; we guide. We help people become financially fluent so they can work to build resilience, plan for stressors, and work to claim their independence. We offer tailored planning, not generic advice through:

• Holistic support: We address emotional factors like money-related anxiety, confidence, and decision-making styles.
• Practical tools and education: From understanding how taxes, your investments, and budgeting and lifestyle interplay, we help to equip you with actionable skills.

Financial fluncy is more than knowing what today’s terms mean—it’s having the freedom to head towards living life on your terms. At XML, we’re committed to helping you get there—because financial well-being isn't just about surviving...it's about thriving.

Read more here.

Have questions about how these insights and ideas could impact your personalized wealth management strategy? Let’s talk.

This communication is for information and educational purposes only. This is not a recommendation for the sale or investment in any product or strategy or to be perceived as individual advice. Information presented has been prepared from sources believed to be reliable but is not guaranteed and does not represent all available data necessary for making investment decisions. Economic and market forecasts presented herein reflect a series of assumptions and judgments as of the date of this presentation and are subject to change without notice. Forecasts do not consider the specific investment objectives, restrictions, tax and financial situation or other needs of an individual. Actual data will vary and may not be reflected here. Accordingly, these forecasts should be viewed as merely representative of a broad range of possible outcomes. The opinion expressed by this individual is based on facts and circumstances known at this time, is subject to change and does not reflect the opinions of all financial professionals of XML.