As you are all keenly aware, education is the bedrock for helping families and future generations achieve and retain financial independence. CDCUs have been long active in providing financial education to its consumers, giving them the skills to make better financial decisions. We would welcome and encourage your participation and expertise to help make NPFE a successful initiative. We are gathered at a time of tremendous strength in the U.S. economy. We are in the midst of the longest peacetime expansion in history.
Inflation is low.
Even those who for too long were stranded on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder have experienced increases in employment and real income. In fact, real income for families in the lowest fifth of the income distribution rose faster than for any other group since 1993. But as you all know too well, there are still people deprived of the benefits of this economy. Bringing Americans into the economic mainstream is a moral imperative. But it is also an economic imperative.