AICPA Personal Financial Planning (PFP) From Knowledge to Impact: The CPA's Role in Financial Literacy with Julia Bush
Financial literacy is not just a client issue; it is a national opportunity for CPA financial planners to lead. With only half of Americans understanding basic financial principles and many households living paycheck to paycheck, the profession is uniquely positioned to step beyond the conference room and into classrooms, community groups, and public conversations. In this episode, host Cary Sinnett discusses with Julia Bush how CPAs can turn technical expertise into measurable impact.
Julia explains why financial literacy remains one of the most critical life skills Americans are often expected to "teach themselves" and why that model continues to fall short, particularly for students. While 30 states now require personal finance education in high schools, funding and implementation gaps persist.
The conversation explores:
- The behavioral gap between knowing and doing in personal finance
- Why accountability and small actionable steps matter
- How CPAs can partner with schools, nonprofits, and community groups
- The impact of organizations like Junior Achievement
- Practical first steps financial professionals can take to create measurable change
For CPA financial planners, this episode is both a call to action and a roadmap for engagement.
AICPA Resources:
- Financial Literacy
- Junior Achievement Volunteer
- Invest in girls
- Institute for Financial Education and Prosperity
This episode is brought to you by the AICPA's Personal Financial Planning Section, the premier provider of information, tools, advocacy, and guidance for professionals who specialize in providing tax, estate, retirement, risk management and investment planning advice. Also, by the CPA/PFS credential program, which allows CPAs to demonstrate competence and confidence in providing these services to their clients. Visit us online to join our community, gain access to valuable member-only benefits or learn about our PFP certificate program.
Subscribe to the PFP Podcast channel at Libsyn to find all the latest episodes or search "AICPA Personal Financial Planning" on your favorite podcast app.