Will your child be rich or poor?

When I travel the country speaking to high school and college students about exactly what they need to do to become financially successful in life I always begin my presentation by asking three questions: "How many want to be financially successful in life?" "How many think they will be financially successful in life?"  

• Almost every time I ask the first two questions every hand rises in the air. Then I ask the magic third question: "How many have taken a course in school on how to be financially successful in life?" Not one hand rises in the air, ever. Clearly every student wants to be successful and thinks they will be successful but none have been taught by their parents or their school system how to be financially successful in life. Not only are there no courses on basic financial success principles but there are no structured courses teaching basic financial literacy. We are raising our children to be financially illiterate and to fail in life. Is it any ...