A modern primer on consumer finance and personal money management intended for readers aged 15 to 30, this guide can also serve as a primary text for high school, college, or adult education courses on personal finance.
There is growing awareness that teaching consumers more about finance is an urgent national priority-and that their education should begin early. Combining practical advice with targeted information on virtually every aspect of personal finance and money management, this book is the ideal resource for young people who want to start off their financial lives properly.

The guide updates traditional personal finance topics, such as budgeting, credit, debt, savings, and investment, and goes beyond those fundamentals to furnish important life lessons on such concerns as career planning, starting a business, Internet fraud, and avoiding financial scams. It even provides useful background on the tax system, how to avoid bankruptcy, legal issues young adults often face, and the plethora of government benefits they can access. In fact, young readers will come away from this book with basic knowledge of every important area of personal finance.

Ideal for teens and young adults, the volume will prove useful to parents who want to educate their children about the wise use of money, preparing them to make independent financial decisions. In addition, this book can be used to meet the standards enacted in every state for developing a curriculum guide for teaching financial literacy to high school students. It can also serve as a primary or supplementary resource in personal finance or consumer economics courses for college students and adults.

Andrew O. Smith, MBA, JD, is a trustee, financial advisor, and licensed attorney who has counseled trust funds, estates, investment partnerships, limited-liability corporations, insurance trusts, real estate partnerships, and individuals.