Did you know only 2% of Americans have demonstrated proficiency in basic tax knowledge? This gap goes beyond someone’s education or income and points to a larger issue of tax literacy. Zoe Callaway, Vice President of Education at the Tax Foundation, shares more in this episode of the NGPF Podcast.

Zoe grew up with young parents in Delaware who taught her about taxes and money early. According to Zoe, most people's opinions stem from a negative connotation of taxes versus truly understanding them.

Zoe is a firm believer that taxes should be woven into every personal finance class. She states, “If you’re not including taxes in those lessons, you’re not painting the full picture for your students.”

To improve tax literacy, Zoe created an initiative called TaxEDU at the Tax Foundation. TaxEDU breaks down what taxes are, tax credits vs deduction, and more to bridge the knowledge gap.

Hear Zoe discuss more about the initiative, her organization’s ethos, and her family history. 

View the episode transcript and listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Also Check Out Kit Kaufman, NGPF Board Member/Adviser on Financial Education in the U.S.

What if one high school class could change the financial trajectory of the next generation? That is the question NGPF and Board Member Christopher “Kit” Kauffman are sitting on. This episode will touch on Kit’s journey, the importance of personal finance, and Mission 2030.

Kit is a former corporate attorney who switched careers after retiring from law. He wanted to use his experiences, such as negotiation and investing, to advocate for financial education. He volunteered for NGPF before eventually joining the Board of Directors.

Kit is a major advocate for NGPF’s Mission 2030 initiative, a nationwide effort to guarantee every student graduates with a semester-long personal finance class. He sees the importance of personal finance as no matter what path or career graduates take.

“This is probably the only course a student will use every day of their lives," he says.

See the episode transcript and listen to more of Kit's story on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Join Us for This Week's LIVE Event with Brian Petula, Personal Finance Teacher at a State Correctional Institution

Tonight, we'll host Brian Petula, a personal finance teacher at the State Correctional Institution in Dallas, Pennsylvania. In this chat, you will learn that these conversations do not exist solely in high school classrooms. Brian will break down not just the importance of money skills, but how they are the next step to reentry.

Register to join the chat with Brian at 4:00 PM tonight (July 30).

About the Author

Zach Mann

Zach recently graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Sociology. Zach is a Communications Intern for NGPF, assisting with content creation for NGPF's various platforms. He enjoys contributing to communications that support a mission with a tangible impact.