Financial education arrives in NZ schools: what money skills will your child learn in 2026?

Learning about money at a young age for many New Zealanders has felt like a lottery. Some of us gained these valuable skills at home, but many of us didn’t.

“I wish I’d learnt about money at school” is the catchcry for many.

The good news is starting this year, that lottery is finished. All New Zealand kids will now learn about the basics of money at school – which has become a compulsory part of the New Zealand education system.  

What will my kids learn about money at school? 

Money skills and knowledge are being woven into subjects that students are already studying, not bolted on as an optional extra. From 2026, students from Years 0 to 10 will learn financial education as part of maths, and in 2027, social sciences. Topics include currency basics, budgeting, GST calculations and compound interest – with practical applications like shopping, saving and understanding debt taught at high school.

The refreshed curriculum was developed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with financial education experts.  

Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission (the government agency behind Sorted) helps teachers delivering financial education through the Sorted in Schools programme, bringing the Sorted tools and materials trusted by more than 500,000 adults directly into classrooms.

New resources are being made available in classrooms across Aotearoa, providing key money concepts at the right age and stage to make learning easy and relevant.  

A step change that gives kids a head start

For many parents who didn’t learn about money at school, this is a welcome change. Colleen, an Auckland parent with three kids in years 5 to 10, says she’s pleased that her children will be taught key money concepts before they leave high school.  

“Learning about financial education at school gives my kids a head start once they start jobs and make financial decisions about their futures,” she says. 

The new maths lessons use real-life examples like shopping, saving and sharing costs. The Sorted in Schools programme designed for Years 9–13 incorporates many of the Sorted tools and information that adults use to make personal finance decisions, but makes them relevant and accessible for the classroom.

Younger learners will start with the basics: recognising money through currency and coins and adding and subtracting totals.  

In Years 9 and 10, students will tackle practical topics relevant to the decisions their families make every week. For Year 9 students, this means understanding how interest works, discounts on costs, and GST. In Year 10, the big lesson is compound interest – a powerful concept that shows how savings grow or debt escalates when costs compound. 

How can I support my kids’ financial education? 

If you want to extend learning about money at home, involve your kids in simple activities like meal planning, food budgeting and supermarket shopping. When you buy groceries, show your children the receipts and try plugging the total into Sorted's budget planner. You could also share with them your household bills or work together to figure out the GST on your receipts. 

Including your kids in family financial decision making will grow their confidence for when they need to make their own decisions.

You can also start playing with the numbers together using Sorted's savings calculator. This is a free tool used by 30,000 New Zealanders each year, where you can plug in a weekly or monthly savings contribution and see how compound interest could help it grow. If you toggle inflation, you can see what today’s dollars will look like in the future – an important reality check. 

One of the key Sorted guides that students will use at school is our savings guide, which has some helpful information on how to 'pay yourself first' a great way to get the whole family focused on saving and getting ahead.  

Kickstart family money conversations with Sorted’s tools and guides 

Starting conversations about saving or debt at home with your teenager will help embed the lessons they are learning at school. These conversations will prepare them for when they have their own money and can make choices on how to use it.

In New Zealand, when you turn 18 you can legally sign up for debt products like phones on plans, buy now pay later loans, or car finance. Our debt calculator makes it easy to compare options, test extra repayments, and see the total cost of the debt. With students now learning about compound interest in Year 10 (age 14–15 years old) as well as savings and debt, these conversations can start early. 

Sorted's credit guide also provides useful information about debt, prompting key questions that are essential to managing money. These are the core skills that financial education provides, showing how choices today shape tomorrow.

Make 2026 your whānau’s early start with money

Colleen’s children have already had the opportunity to learn about money at primary school, but she’s excited to see this learning extended further at high school. 

“When you start young and have the confidence to navigate money conversations and understand the impact of compound interest, whether through saving and investing or avoiding debt, it can set things up for the rest of your life,” she says. 

Make 2026 the year you start the conversation with your whānau, whether it is your kids, nieces or nephews and build on the financial education that they will learn at school at home.

It’s also your chance to use the free Sorted tools, guides, and information that can help with your own money journey and build money confidence with your rangatahi.