Indiana University Office of Financial Wellness & Education

What Indiana University Office of Financial Wellness & Education does

The Indiana University Office of Financial Wellness and Education (branded as MoneySmarts) is a department within Indiana University, a public state university, that provides free financial education and counseling services to students across all nine IU campuses: Bloomington, Indianapolis, Columbus, East, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Northwest, South Bend, and Southeast. Established in 2012 and operating with a team of 8 employees from its headquarters at Bryan Hall, 107 S Indiana Ave, Bloomington, the office delivers three core programs: CashCourse, an online financial education platform provided by the National Endowment for Financial Education; Engage & Thrive at IU, a Fidelity Investments-backed rewards program that deposits monetary incentives into personal Fidelity accounts for first-year undergraduates who complete financial literacy, academic support, career preparation, well-being, and community activities; and one-on-one confidential financial counseling with trained student staff, available in-person at Bloomington and Indianapolis or virtually for all other IU campuses, scheduled through Microsoft Booking. The office also delivers financial wellness presentations for classes and student organizations and provides educational resources on 529 college savings plans and an IU tuition cost estimator.

The office is a government state entity funded through Indiana University operating budgets and state appropriations rather than generating revenue from service fees; all services are provided free of charge to IU students, with CashCourse access and Engage & Thrive rewards underwritten by IU and Fidelity Investments. Technology integrations include Canvas LMS for Engage & Thrive activity tracking, Microsoft Booking for appointment scheduling, the Fidelity Mobile app for reward distribution, and Google Analytics for website analytics. Documented outcomes include a $158.2 million reduction in student borrowing over ten years and a 24% decrease in student borrowing across all IU campuses. Secondary audiences include IU employees (for 529 savings plan guidance via direct deposit) and families/parents of students (for 529 college savings education).

Name

Indiana University Office of Financial Wellness & Education

Legal name

Office of Financial Wellness and Education

Website

https://moneysmarts.iu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Indiana University Office of Financial Wellness and Education (MoneySmarts) is a university department providing free financial counseling, online education via CashCourse, and Fidelity-backed rewards through Engage & Thrive to students across all nine IU campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Financial Wellness

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAGADAH

Financial Education & Coaching (Digital Programs, Tools)

Financial & Insurance/Financial Technology (Fintech)/Personal Finance & Financial Wellness (PFM)

SECONDARYFSAGADAA

Budgeting & Cash-Flow Management

Financial & Insurance/Financial Technology (Fintech)/Personal Finance & Financial Wellness (PFM)

SECONDARYEDAMAIAH

Personal Finance & Financial Literacy for Students

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Life Skills & Personal Development (Study Skills, Executive Function, SEL)

SECONDARYFSAGADAK

Employee Financial Wellness Platforms (Workplace PFM)

Financial & Insurance/Financial Technology (Fintech)/Personal Finance & Financial Wellness (PFM)

Keywords

• Financial wellness education
• Student financial counseling
• Personal finance education
• Financial literacy services
• College financial wellness

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. University Government Funding: As an office of Indiana University, a public institution, the Office of Financial Wellness and Education is funded through university operating budgets and state appropriations rather than generating revenue from services.
2. Educational Program Sponsorship: CashCourse and Engage & Thrive program rewards are provided at no cost to students, funded through university and partner (Fidelity Investments) contributions rather than student payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Office of Financial Wellness and Education (MoneySmarts) is a department of Indiana University that provides free, confidential financial wellness services to IU students across nine campuses. Its core offerings include one-on-one financial counseling, the CashCourse online financial education platform, the Engage & Thrive at IU program that delivers Fidelity-funded financial rewards for campus engagement, 529 college savings education, and a Cost Estimator tool for projecting IU tuition costs.

Product overview

The Office of Financial Wellness and Education (MoneySmarts) operates as a single integrated service unit offering multiple interconnected programs and resources for IU students. The core offerings include CashCourse, a free online financial education platform providing courses and interactive learning modules; Engage & Thrive at IU, a Fidelity-backed financial rewards program that incentivizes campus engagement; and direct counseling services including one-on-one appointments and group presentations. Additional support includes 529 college savings education and a cost estimation tool. These services work together to provide comprehensive financial wellness support from onboarding through graduation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Engage & Thrive at IU: A program designed to help students thrive by encouraging participation in high-impact activities while earning financial rewards deposited into a personal Fidelity account.
• CashCourse

Products and services

• CashCourse Free online financial education platform provided by the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), offering students courses, articles, quizzes, infographics, videos, and interactive exercises covering budgeting, credit scores, student loans, and other personal finance topics. Available at no cost to IU students.
• Engage & Thrive at IU Financial rewards initiative in partnership with Fidelity Investments that incentivizes first-year undergraduate students at IU Bloomington and IU Indianapolis to participate in approved campus activities. Rewards are deposited into personal Fidelity Mobile app accounts.
• One-on-One Financial Counseling Free, confidential one-on-one appointments with trained student staff members for personalized guidance on budgeting, saving, spending, and financial goals. Available in-person at Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses or virtually for students at the other IU campuses, scheduled through Microsoft Booking.
• Financial Wellness Presentations Customized presentations on budgeting, financial wellness, and money topics tailored for student audiences, delivered for classes, student organizations, and campus programs upon request.
• 529 College Savings Education Educational resources and guidance on 529 college savings plans, including plan features, tax benefits, how to choose and set up a plan, and Indiana-specific incentives for state residents. Includes direct deposit setup for IU employees through the Employee Center in One.IU.
• Cost Estimator Online tool that helps prospective and current students estimate the total cost of an Indiana University education, including tuition, fees, and living expenses.

Quantifiable outcome

• $158.2 Million reduction in student borrowing over 10 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Fidelity InvestmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFidelity Investments partners with Indiana University through the Engage & Thrive program, providing a mobile investment platform where students can earn financial rewards for campus engagement. Students open Fidelity Mobile app accounts and receive incentive deposits for completing university-approved activities in areas including financial literacy, academic support, career preparation, well-being, and community belonging.
• CashCoursecoreOthersCashCourse is an online financial education platform provided to IU students free of charge. The platform offers tools, quick lessons, real-world examples, infographics, videos, quizzes, and interactive exercises covering budgeting, credit scores, student loans, and financial planning. Content is created by financial education experts and reviewed by actual students.
• Microsoft BookingsupportingTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft Booking is used for appointment scheduling, allowing students to book free one-on-one financial counseling sessions with MoneySmarts staff at IU Bloomington and IU Indianapolis campuses, in-person or virtually.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Inceptia: Inceptia delivers financial education and student loan repayment support to colleges and students — a directly comparable peer in financial literacy programming aimed at higher-education students.
• iGrad: iGrad provides financial wellness platforms to colleges and universities covering budgeting, student loans, and financial literacy — directly comparable to MoneySmarts' CashCourse + counseling service bundle for higher-ed institutions.
• National Endowment for Financial Education (CashCourse): CashCourse is the online financial education platform Indiana University uses; it offers the same budgeting, credit, and student loan modules to students nationwide and is the closest comparable platform to the MoneySmarts digital offering.
• American Student Assistance (ASA): ASA provides college-to-career and financial education services to students and colleges, directly comparable in mission and target audience to the IU Office of Financial Wellness & Education.
• BALANCE Financial Fitness: BALANCE provides financial education and counseling programs, including student-focused financial literacy content — comparable to the MoneySmarts curriculum and counseling mix.

Broad incumbents

• GreenPath Financial Wellness: GreenPath offers financial counseling, education, and debt management to individuals and through employer/partner programs — overlapping MoneySmarts' counseling and education mission but serving a broader population beyond higher ed.
• Money Management International (MMI): MMI provides financial education, counseling, and debt management across consumer and workplace channels, comparable to MoneySmarts' one-on-one counseling and budgeting education but at much broader scope.

Regional players

• Take Charge Today (University of Arizona): A university-based personal finance education program at the University of Arizona — directly comparable in form (university-affiliated financial wellness office) but serving a different state.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/iumoneysmarts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iu-office-of-financial-wellness-education

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Indiana University Office of Financial Wellness & Education