Finanzwissen und Finanzbildung in Deutschland – Was wissen wir eigentlich?

In an international comparison, Germans have a relatively high level of financial knowledge. However, this does not imply that financial knowledge is universally distributed. The share of respondents, who are able to answer three basic questions about interest rate, inflation, and risk diversification correctly, lies between 53% and 62%. Among women, older individuals, and people with low income or low education, this share is substantially lower. Research has shown that financial knowledge positively affects financial decision-making. Furthermore, financial education programs can enhance financial knowledge and behavior. In Germany, no broad financial literacy strategy exists and, therefore, no targeted evaluations and quality assurance measures for programs are in place. Such a strategy could improve people’s financial decisions as well as the overall financial stability.

Bucher-Koenen, Tabea and Caroline Knebel-Seitz (2021), Finanzwissen und Finanzbildung in Deutschland – Was wissen wir eigentlich?, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 21-016, Mannheim.