Buying or renting? What is the right pension plan? And what insurance do I really need? Financial questions concern everyone. "At the same time, finances are the topic that is always put off," says Prof. Dr. Katrin Löhr, financial expert at the Faculty of Business Studies at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The "FinMa" cooperation project aims to counteract this and strengthen financial education in Germany.
"We want to relieve people of financial stress," says Katrin Löhr. Education is an important part of this. For example, to be able to have an equal say in discussions with banks and brokers. To be able to make good financial decisions for yourself personally. In the "FinMa - Financial education by companies for employees" project, she is working with the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg and DEFINO - Institut für Finanznorm AG to focus on a specific target group: employees.
Employers should provide their employees with an independent financial education offer. "This is how we reach a large number of people," explains Katrin Löhr. At the same time, the first step is easier if financial education takes place during working hours. But what are the benefits for companies? "There are studies from the USA that show that employees who have their private finances in order are more focused and productive," reports the expert. The German Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection is also following this idea and is funding the "FinMa" project with more than half a million euros.
Among other things, the project team now wants to develop various financial calculators that employees can use to assess their financial situation and draw up a financial plan. At the same time, financial education seminars are to be designed and integrated into the company's own employee loyalty programs. "We don't have to start from scratch here," emphasizes Katrin Löhr. The DIN standard 77230 and financial education courses offered by the German Society for Financial Literacy (DeGeFin), of which Prof. Löhr is an honorary board member, form the basis. DeGeFin is also an associated partner in the project.
First offers as early as 2025
In fact, there is a standardized process for analyzing the private financial situation. "This offers an objective way of looking at what I need and what I don't need," explains the professor. This standard will also form the basis of the "FinMa" financial calculators. "At the same time, we want to make the financial calculators a little more appealing. They should also be fun, and thus free the topic of finance from its sad corner," emphasizes Katrin Löhr. The researchers are therefore also supported by a creative team.
The third phase of the project will then focus on evaluation. Which tools are most effective? Which financial education channels and methods are best received? What impact does employee financial education have on companies? "I am very excited about this data from a scientific perspective," says the UAS professor. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2027, with the first offers from the project planned for the first quarter of 2025. "The most important thing is to get started," emphasizes expert Katrin Löhr. "Educating yourself in financial matters and getting an overview of your finances in good time makes a huge difference. It is important to ensure that the financial education is of high quality and independent or that the business model behind it is at least made transparent."