Despite signs of economic recovery, it seems like the list of problems standing in the way of a secure financial future for the U.S. is getting longer by the day. From out-of-control student loan debt and habitual consumer overleveraging to Medicare insolvency and an overcomplicated tax code, we clearly have a lot to figure out in a political landscape that’s far from conducive to progress.

Underpinning, and perhaps exacerbating, all of these problems is the disturbing lack of financial literacy in this country. Far too many people know far too little about personal finance, and our poor overall performance in that area simply puts undue pressure on already flawed programs.

Just consider the following statistics:

• Fresh off one of the worst recessions in history, U.S. consumers have racked up roughly $82 billion in credit card debt over the past two years and are on pace to bring amounts owed well beyond the $120 billion by the end of 2013.
• There is currently over $1 trillion in outstanding student loan debt – far more than we owe either credit card companies or auto lenders. The average household balance as of 2010 (when the most recent figures were released) was $26,682, and roughly 40% of households headed by someone aged 35 or younger owe money on student loans.

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