Financial Literacy and the Take-Up of Government Benefits
Author:
Topic: Tax filing and benefits
Publisher: Tristat Resources
Location: Canada
Format: Report
Content Type: Research
Publication Date: February 9, 2011
Topic: Tax filing and benefits
Publisher: Tristat Resources
Location: Canada
Format: Report
Content Type: Research
Publication Date: February 9, 2011
In this report, the take-up of government benefits is presented as one indicator of
Canadians’ financial literacy—that is, their “knowledge, skills and confidence to make responsible financial decisions.” Low take-up rates clearly suggest that some Canadians lack the financial literacy necessary to access all of the government supports available to them. Obstacles to take-up are examined with respect to the steps that individuals need to take to receive benefits—i.e., becoming aware of a given program, understanding its eligibility requirements, and navigating the application process—and the importance of financial literacy to those steps.
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