The basics of financial literacy should be taught starting in grade school but for some strange reason it's not, and it’s costing people billions of dollars each year in lost investment potential. The basics of investing, how to read financial statements, how the stock market works, dividends, interest rates, mortgages, leverage, how various investments are taxed, capital gains, principal residence exemption, how to save and buy a home etc etc. These are all things everyone should have at least a basic level of knowledge and proficiency in.