Financial Center First Credit Union launched Wealth Builder Online – a free online financial education resource to the public today. The program, called Wealth Builder Online, is available on the credit union’s website, www.fcfcu.com, and offers a variety of short financial education videos on subjects such as building emergency savings, budgeting, understanding credit, preparing for retirement and more.

“Our goal is to reach people where they are and in the way they prefer to learn,” said James Davidson, Financial Center’s Director of Financial Literacy. “Wealth Builder Online is a great new tool in our educational toolbox.”

Each learning topic is 3-7 minutes in length and is designed to encourage participants to build financial confidence via a series of interactive activities. The mobile and tablet-friendly program is available in English and Spanish.

Recognized nationally for the past four years for its financial literacy program by the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), Wealth Builder Online is Financial Center’s next step in leading the charge for empowering Indiana consumers to become better money managers.

“Making one bad financial decision can impact your credit and your financial future for years to come,” said Davidson. “If we can help consumers better understand their options to make the best decision possible for their family, then we’re doing our job as a credit union and fulfilling Financial Center’s mission to improve the financial lives of those we serve.”

Recent statistics published by Indiana’s Public Data Utility and TransUnion support Financial Center’s belief that financial education is valuable to Central Indiana. The Marion County poverty rate continues to be above 20%. Nearly 160,000 Marion County residents are on food assistance – the highest county ranking in the state. And in Indiana, the average Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for a 14-day payday loan of $100 is 390%.

Wealth Builder Online adds to Financial Center’s free financial literacy outreach which also includes seminars at community organizations and schools, weekly seminars in Spanish at the Consulate of Mexico, monthly seminars for Financial Center members at its main office, and individual credit counseling upon request with one of Financial Center’s Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors.