Finanzwissen in der Bevölkerung: Herausforderungen für die Altersvorsorgeplanung

Financial literacy is becoming increasingly important in light of complex financial products, digitised financial markets, and growing personal responsibility for retirement planning and investing. This article examines the current state of financial literacy in Germany. In 2023, 2 out of 3 respondents correctly answered three basic questions about interest rates, inflation, and risk diversification. At the same time, differences emerge across socio-demographic groups: individuals with lower levels of formal education, women, older adults, and respondents in Eastern Germany exhibit lower financial literacy on average. Financial literacy is important for financial planning and decision-making, such as retirement planning, stock market participation, wealth accumulation, debt management, and financial resilience. The findings suggest that financial education in Germany should be further strengthened, tailored to specific target groups, and supplemented by consumer and investor protection as well as systematic evaluation.