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(Iowa) -- April is Financial Literacy month, and the state of Iowa is looking to raise Iowans' financial awareness and highlight free resources available.
Heather Kriener with the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services says, "This April, we are really wanting to emphasize the importance of starting these conversations early. People don't just show up in adulthood with money skills that they need to be successful in life."
Kriener says parents can use simple things like grocery shopping with their children as an opportunity to start conversations about the basics of money and finance. The state of Iowa also offers a number of free resources where people can learn tips and tricks at their own pace and study financial topics of interest to them,
The state's Save4Later Iowa program offers free online courses to help Iowans of all ages plan for retirement, including information on planning, saving, and investing wisely ahead of retirement. The state's SmartHer Money program offers financial resources geared toward women, presented by women.