Managing money is an essential life skill, yet most U.S. adults would fail a financial literacy test.

Consider the results of a survey meant to measure financial literacy, called the TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index. On average, U.S. adults correctly answered only 50% of its financial literacy questions in 2022.

In other words: If you find money confusing, you害羞草研究所檙e far from alone. But the reasons you害羞草研究所檙e baffled may have more to do with how our brains work than how money does. Understanding some of the common barriers, along with strategies to cope, could help you finally get a handle on your finances.

MONEY IS A NEW LANGUAGE

You wouldn害羞草研究所檛 expect to carry on a fluent conversation in Madrid or Mexico City if you only knew a few words of Spanish. Similarly, is loaded with terms, jargon and concepts that take a while to learn.

害羞草研究所淓ntering the world of money is like entering a whole new culture and learning a new language,害羞草研究所� says Ed Coambs, a certified financial planner and couples therapist in Charlotte, North Carolina.

You shouldn害羞草研究所檛 feel stupid for not understanding everything instantly, and no one should make you feel that way. However, learning can be more difficult if we encounter judgmental, condescending or dogmatic people 害羞草研究所� which unfortunately describes many people who are fluent in personal finance lingo.

害羞草研究所淢any money experts, professional or non-professional, can become varying degrees of authoritarian: 害羞草研究所榊es, I know what害羞草研究所檚 best for you. This is what you should do,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Coambs says.

People with a rigid approach to personal finance may not understand the culture and life experiences that shaped you. They may insist you funnel every possible dollar into paying off debt or saving for retirement, for instance, but you may feel it害羞草研究所檚 important to tithe to your church or support your elderly parents.

Rather than dictating how you should spend your money, helpful advisors meet people where they are, says Rachael DeLeon, interim director of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education, a nonprofit foundation that administers financial counseling credentials.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 figuring out: What are your values? What害羞草研究所檚 important to you? And how do you make that work within your own financial situation?害羞草研究所� DeLeon says.

MONEY IS EMOTIONAL

For many people, money evokes strong and often negative emotions. For example, if you struggle with managing your finances, you may be so embarrassed that you try to avoid talking or even thinking about money.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what really stops people from making money progress,害羞草研究所� Coambs says. 害羞草研究所淭hey feel ashamed that they don害羞草研究所檛 know, and they feel like they should know.害羞草研究所�

Painful early experiences often shape our view of money, says Coambs, author of 害羞草研究所淭he Healthy Love & Money Way: How the Four Attachment Styles Impact Your Financial Well-Being.害羞草研究所� Listening to parents fight about money or suffering financial hardship can be traumatic, leaving us convinced that money is dangerous or shameful.

Coambs suggests discussing your feelings about money with supportive and compassionate people. That could include an empathetic financial advisor, a financial therapist or trusted, knowledgeable friends.

害羞草研究所淎ction is predicated on feeling safe for many of us,害羞草研究所� Coambs says. 害羞草研究所淯ntil we feel safe and accepted, we害羞草研究所檙e typically going to feel stuck and stalled.害羞草研究所�

MONEY IS COLLABORATIVE

Fear is another common emotion people experience around money: fear of making a mistake, not having enough, or being scammed or misled.

害羞草研究所淭here are a lot of predators in this space, and knowing who to trust is hard,害羞草研究所� DeLeon says.

Educating yourself is crucial. You can learn about personal finance basics from trusted sources, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or JumpStart Coalition, which focuses on financial literacy for young people, DeLeon says.

But you also can hire people to help you. DeLeon recommends fee-only advisors, meaning they害羞草研究所檙e compensated only by the fees paid by their clients rather than by commissions or other financial arrangements that could influence their advice.

Look for advisors who are fiduciaries, which means they are required to put your interests ahead of their own. Fiduciary advisors include CFPs and people with the credentials offered by DeLeon害羞草研究所檚 organization, the AFCPE, including accredited financial counselors and financial fitness coaches.

Currently, the AFCPE offers free virtual financial counseling sessions. You can learn more at AFCPE害羞草研究所檚 site. In addition, your employer, 401(k) provider, bank or credit union may also offer free or low-cost financial advice.

With money, it害羞草研究所檚 more important to know whom to ask than to have all the answers ourselves, DeLeon says.

害羞草研究所淣ot everybody needs to be a personal finance expert,害羞草研究所� DeLeon says.

害羞草研究所擫iz Weston Of Nerdwallet, The Associated Press