Financial management competencies of money managers: bases for household net worth and satisfaction

This study was designed to examine the relationships between the financial management competencies of household money managers and the financial well-being of the household. Money managers in 123 households in central Iowa were interviewed during fall 1986. The interview schedule had questions related to financial management knowledge, planning and implementing practices, satisfaction with the household's financial situation, net income, assets and liabilities. A path analysis model of a systems approach to family resource management was tested. Further, analyses of covariance were computed to determine the effect of knowledge on money manager's behaviors and outputs;The typical household money manager was a married 49-year-old female living in a two-member household with a mean after-tax income of 24,506 and a median net worth of 59,200. The mean debt payments-to-income ratio, including mortgage, was.12, well below the at-risk level of.3 to.4;Money managers were more apt to have a higher level of net worth and financial satisfaction if they practiced recommended financial behaviors. Money managers who were more knowledgeable practiced more optimum planning and implementing behaviors than less-knowledgeable money managers. Although more-knowledgeable managers had greater net worth than less-knowledgeable managers (179,829 vs. 74,054), income appears to override the contribution of other input variables to net worth;Professionals working with families need to understand the competencies that make a difference in helping families optimally manage financial resources. Such knowledge would permit focusing financial management education on these critical competencies.