Tony’s Take: 10 Things Shaping the Future of Financial Literacy

Hi,

Thanks for being part of The Get Ready Movement—changing how we think about money, one idea at a time.

Every week, I spotlight what’s shaping the future of financial literacy—from emerging trends and practical tools to the people transforming how we talk about (and take action around) money.

1. Weekly Action Prompt

📌 Action: Week 26: Take a deep breath and think of all that you’ve accomplished over the last quarter.

💭 Tony’s Take: It’s important to take time to reflect on positive progress and challenges overcome, and to celebrate your wins.

2. Strategy of the week:

💡 Reflect on your progress with the Get Ready Habits.

• Goals defined: What are they, are they important, and what is their time period?

• Educate yourself: Know how to use what you learn and keep it fresh.

• Think about how you think: Have a positive mindset and act with intent.

• Relevancy to you: Understand who you are and align with your values.

• Evaluate your options: Choose wisely and monitor fees and expenses.

• Assemble the pieces: Know how everything fits together and what’s missing.

• Detailed focus: Review the details, seek balance, and know when you need help.

• Yearly review: Keep up to date and follow the Get Ready Method

💭 Tony’s Take: When you build habits around awareness and alignment, you build financial confidence for life.

3. Big Question to Ask

❓ What are your accomplishments over the last 3 months?

💭 Tony’s Take:  We’re often so busy planning ahead that we forget how far we’ve come.

4. Does Money Equal Happiness?

🔹 Personal finance isn’t just about the money, it’s about the story.

🔹 Always a solution out there, we have to find it.

🔹 Be kind to yourself about money.

🔹 Money is not the point, you need to find your purpose.

💭 Tony’s Take: Money supports your life - it doesn’t define it. Finding purpose leads to happiness.

🎙️ With Jessica Moorhouse, AFCC® on The Get Ready Money Podcast. Check it out (here).

5. Women Deserve Better Financial Advisors and This Is Why

Why so many people, especially women, feel left out when it comes to money, and how changing the way you think about it can totally change your life.

💭 Tony’s Take: Advisors must listen, rather than talk at their clients. Empowering women starts with empathy and respect.

🎙️ Hilary Hendershott, MBA, CFP® and Naseema McElroy on the Financially Intentional Podcast. Watch on (YouTube).

6. Financial Planners Must Understand Human Behavior!

🔹 How psychology applies to financial planning.

🔹 How education accelerates a career in financial planning.

🔹 How AI will improve financial planning education.

🔹You should be paid for the value that you’re bringing.

💭 Tony’s Take: Understanding people is, as important as the numbers.

🎙️ With Matt J. Goren, PhD CFP® on The Get Ready Money Podcast. Check it out (here)

7. Caring and Support for Family Caregivers

A conversation on long-term care in the US, the role of family caregivers, and implications for their health and wealth.

💭 Tony’s Take: We all need to create an aging plan and have open conversations with our loved ones. Expecting our family members to be caregivers can be problematic.

🎙️ Rosanne Corcoran , Amy Arnott and Christine Benz on the Morningstar Long View podcast. Listen (here).

8. Mission Retirement — Helping Clients Plan for More Than Just Money.

How advisors can help clients retire with purpose, not just wealth. John unpacks the 10 “missions” of meaningful retirement and reveals how purpose-based planning deepens trust, inspires legacy conversations, and helps advisors stand out by focusing on what truly matters.

💭 Tony’s Take: Retirement is about more than money. Having purpose in retirement is key.

🎙️ John Kailunas II and Rob Brown on The Purpose-Focused Advisor Podcast. Listen (here).

9. The Hidden Role of Shame in Financial Planning: Practical Tools for Advisors to Create Client Breakthroughs

A practical framework for identifying shame triggers, asking powerful questions that build safety, and creating the warm, judgment-free environment where true financial transformation becomes possible.

💭 Tony’s Take: Understanding the role of shame helps us to better understand mindset.

🎙️ Nathan Astle, CFT™, M.S. and Ashley Quamme on the Planning & Beyond Podcast (here).

10. Why Pakistan should be obsessed with increasing the public's financial literacy

An individual’s ability to understand economic information aids in making better financial decisions which ultimately translates into improved economic well-being through better debt management, more savings for retirement, and more efficient investment management of savings.

💭 Tony’s Take: The principles and observations in this article apply to all countries. Financial literacy has an impact on the overall economy and well being for all of us.

📖  Read the article by Mohsen Siddiqui (here)

🚀 Bonus: 5 Quick Hits:

• Your money should work for you and your community — not billionaires by Bernadette Joy and Katie Lowery for Bankrate. Read (here).

• Retirement and Divorce – How to Stop the Split from Undermining Your Future Security by Michele Cagan, CPA . Read (here).

• What Will You Do with Your 1,000 Hours a Year in Retirement? Eric Blake, CFP® on The Simply Retirement Podcast. Watch on (YouTube).

• Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees - summary of the 2025 Annual Reports (here)

• Financial literacy and retirement fluency in America. Findings from the 2025 TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index (here).

👉 Join The Get Ready Movement and receive The Get Ready Newsletter, Ask Tony AI (with all of my content), and a comprehensive toolkit with 150+ worksheets. (here).

🎁 Support The Get Ready Movement (here)

📝 Final Thought

The Get Ready Habits empower you to take control of your financial life and be easily integrated.

Thanks for being part of the Get Ready movement.

If you feel that this newsletter provides value, please help me out by sharing it.

Let’s keep changing the way we think - and talk- about money.

– Tony