50 Money IEP Goals for Functional Math and Financial Literacy

Originally written by Tess Hileman, M.Ed.; updated and reviewed by Tynishia Williams, M.Ed.

Only 59% of young adults with disabilities had a checking account within eight years of leaving high school, compared to 74% of their peers (NLTS2, 2011). For young adults with intellectual disabilities, that number dropped to 29%. The 50 measurable goals below span the full money skills continuum, from coin identification through banking and budgeting, so you can match each student’s present level to a goal that moves them toward financial independence.

Key Takeaways: 50 money goals in five categories (coin identification, counting, purchasing, budgeting, and banking), three teaching approaches with research behind them, and how money goals fit into IDEA transition planning.

How to Write Money IEP Goals

Every money IEP goal needs four components: a condition describing the setting or materials, an observable behavior, criteria defining success, and a measurement method. Start with the student’s present level. A 9th grader who cannot identify coin values needs a different goal than a 12th grader who counts change but has never used a debit card.

Structure each goal with this framework:

• Condition: “Given a mixed set of coins and bills…” or “During a community-based shopping trip…”
• Behavior: “the student will count the total value…” or “complete a purchase using a debit card…”
• Criteria: “with 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive trials” or “in 4 out of 5 opportunities”
• Measurement: “as measured by teacher-recorded data” or “using a task analysis checklist”

Federal law supports including money goals in IEPs. IDEA defines transition services as activities that include, “if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills,” which encompasses financial management (34 CFR §300.43). Beginning with the first IEP in effect when the student turns 16, or younger if the IEP team decides, the IEP must include measurable postsecondary goals for training, education, employment and, where appropriate, independent living skills (34 CFR §300.320(b)). Adjust accuracy percentages, trial counts, and settings to match each student’s baseline.

Prerequisite Skills to Assess First

Before writing money IEP goals, confirm that the student demonstrates these foundational skills, or write prerequisite goals to address gaps:

• Number recognition (1–100): Can the student read and identify written numerals?
• One-to-one correspondence: Can the student count objects accurately by pointing to each one?
• Skip counting by 5s, 10s, and 25s: This underpins coin counting and making change.
• Sorting and categorizing: Can the student group objects by an attribute like size or color?
• Fine motor skills: Can the student manipulate coins, press calculator buttons, or swipe a card?
• Basic addition and subtraction: Mental math or calculator-assisted.

A student who cannot count to 25 will struggle with coin equivalency goals. Use a transition assessment’s money skills section to pinpoint where each student falls on the continuum.

Goals for Coin and Bill Identification

Browder and Grasso’s foundational review identified 43 studies on teaching money skills to individuals with intellectual disabilities and found that most taught money skills “in the context of making purchases or classroom instruction on money computation” (ERIC, 1999). The 10 goals here start where money instruction starts: naming coins and bills, then knowing what each is worth.

1. Given a set of real or replica U.S. coins, the student will identify each coin by name (penny, nickel, dime, quarter) with 90% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by teacher observation checklist.
2. Given real or replica U.S. coins, the student will state the monetary value of each coin without visual prompts with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by teacher-recorded data.
3. Given U.S. paper currency ($1, $5, $10, $20), the student will identify each bill by denomination with 90% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by direct assessment.
4. Given a mixed set of coins and bills, the student will sort currency by denomination into labeled containers with 85% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by task analysis checklist.
5. Given a matching activity, the student will pair coin images to their written values (e.g., quarter = $0.25) with 80% accuracy across 3 trials, as measured by permanent product.
6. Given two coins or bills, the student will identify which has the greater monetary value with 90% accuracy across 5 consecutive sessions, as measured by teacher-recorded data.
7. Given a price tag under $20, the student will select the smallest single bill that covers the price with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by task analysis checklist.
8. Given a simulated store display with price tags, the student will identify coins and bills needed for purchases under $5.00 with 80% accuracy in 3 out of 4 trials, as measured by teacher observation.
9. Given 10 randomly presented coins, the student will name and state the value of each within 5 seconds per coin for at least 9 of 10 coins in 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by timed assessment data.
10. Given two different coin combinations (e.g., 2 dimes and 1 nickel vs. 1 quarter), the student will determine whether the amounts are equal or unequal with 80% accuracy across 4 trials, as measured by student response recording.

Goals for Counting and Equivalency

Two methods often used to teach cash transactions to students with disabilities are the next-dollar strategy (goal 3) and counting up to make change (goal 4). The rest of the goals cover counting mixed currency, making change, and decimal notation.

1. Given a mixed set of coins totaling up to $1.00, the student will count the total value with 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by teacher-recorded data.
2. Given a mixed set of coins and bills totaling up to $5.00, the student will count and state the total value with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by direct assessment.
3. Given an item priced under $10.00, the student will use the next-dollar strategy to determine the number of $1 bills needed for the purchase with 85% accuracy across 4 trials, as measured by task analysis checklist.
4. Given a purchase under $1.00 and a $1.00 bill, the student will count up from the purchase price to calculate correct change with 80% accuracy in 3 out of 4 trials, as measured by teacher observation.
5. Given a purchase under $5.00 and a $5.00 bill, the student will calculate correct change using counting-up or subtraction with 75% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by student work sample.
6. Given spoken or written dollar-and-cent amounts, the student will write the value in decimal notation (e.g., three dollars and forty-seven cents = $3.47) with 85% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by permanent product.
7. Given prices of 2–3 items, the student will round each price to the nearest dollar and estimate the total cost within $1.50 of the actual total in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by student work sample.
8. Given a stated amount of money and a priced item, the student will determine whether the money is sufficient for the purchase with 90% accuracy across 5 trials, as measured by teacher-recorded data.
9. Given 2–3 priced items and a calculator, the student will calculate the total cost and verify the sum with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by permanent product.
10. Given a set of mixed coins, the student will make equivalent trades between denominations (e.g., 5 pennies for 1 nickel, 2 dimes and 1 nickel for 1 quarter) with 80% accuracy across 3 trials, as measured by direct assessment.

Goals for Making Purchases

In Rowe and Test’s study, classroom simulation with static picture prompts taught students a 20-step routine for debit card purchases and check register tracking, and students generalized purchasing skills to new community settings “up to 5 weeks after intervention” (ERIC). A 2024 systematic review of 25 studies describes community-based instruction as effective for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, though it notes the research is still limited (Anderson et al., 2024).

1. Given a simulated store environment, the student will complete a 5-step purchasing sequence (select item, check price, count payment, receive change, verify receipt) with 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive trials, as measured by task analysis checklist.
2. Given a point-of-sale terminal and a debit card, the student will complete a purchase with no more than 1 verbal prompt in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by teacher observation and prompt-level data.
3. Given two similar items with different prices, the student will identify and select the lower-cost option with 90% accuracy across 5 trials, as measured by teacher-recorded data.
4. Given a cash purchase and change received, the student will verify whether the correct change was returned with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by student work sample.
5. Given a store shelf or product display, the student will locate and read the price of a specified item with 85% accuracy across 4 trials, as measured by teacher observation.
6. Given a simulated online shopping interface, the student will complete a purchase sequence (select item, add to cart, review the cart total, enter practice payment information, confirm the order) with 80% accuracy across 3 trials, as measured by task analysis checklist.
7. During a community-based shopping trip, the student will independently greet the cashier, present payment, and complete the transaction, responding to the cashier and giving a closing such as “thank you” (spoken, signed or on an AAC device), in 3 out of 4 opportunities, as measured by teacher observation checklist.
8. Given a grocery list and a specified budget, the student will locate and purchase 3–5 items without exceeding the budget in 3 out of 4 community-based trips, as measured by receipt review and teacher data.
9. Given a priced item and a posted sales tax rate, the student will estimate the total cost including tax within $0.50 of the actual total in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by student work sample.
10. Given a self-checkout kiosk (simulated or actual), the student will scan items, select a payment method, pay, and collect a receipt with no more than 2 verbal prompts in 3 out of 4 trials, as measured by task analysis checklist.

Goals for Budgeting and Saving

A 2017 National Disability Institute report found that 55% of adults with disabilities probably or certainly could not come up with $2,000 for an unexpected need within a month, compared with 32% of adults without disabilities (NDI/FINRA, 2017). The goals in this section work on that gap while students are still in school.

1. Given 10 examples of common expenses, the student will categorize each as a need or a want with 90% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by permanent product.
2. Given a fixed weekly income, the student will create a simple budget allocating funds across needs, wants, and savings with 80% accuracy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by student work sample.
3. Given a spending tracker template, the student will record daily purchases for one week and calculate total spending with 80% accuracy, as measured by completed tracker and teacher review.
4. Given a list of common purchases, the student will identify at least three money-saving strategies (e.g., using coupons, choosing store brands, waiting for sales) in 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by written or verbal response.
5. Given a savings goal and a timeline, the student will calculate the weekly amount needed to reach the goal with 80% accuracy across 3 trials, as measured by student work sample.
6. Given options from a restaurant menu and a grocery store circular, the student will compare the cost of eating out versus preparing a similar meal at home and state which costs less and by how much in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by completed comparison worksheet.
7. Given a sample budget with a 10% income reduction, the student will identify and remove at least two non-essential expenses to rebalance the budget in 3 out of 4 opportunities, as measured by student work sample.
8. Given a sample pay stub, the student will identify gross pay, deductions, and net pay with 85% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by direct assessment.
9. Given a discussion prompt, the student will explain why an emergency fund matters and describe at least two situations that would require emergency savings in 3 out of 4 opportunities, as measured by teacher observation and rubric.
10. Given a monthly income amount, the student will allocate spending using the 50/30/20 guideline (needs, wants, savings) and explain the rationale for each category in 3 out of 4 trials, as measured by student work sample and verbal explanation.

Goals for Banking and Payment Skills

Young adults with intellectual disabilities had the lowest rates of financial tool access: 29% with checking accounts and 19% with credit cards (NLTS2, 2011). These 10 goals target the specific banking and payment skills behind those numbers.

1. Given descriptions of checking and savings accounts, the student will correctly identify at least three differences between the two account types in 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by written or verbal response.
2. Given a blank deposit slip and transaction details, the student will correctly complete all required fields (name, account number, date, amount) in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by permanent product.
3. Given a simulated or actual ATM, the student will check an account balance and withdraw a specified amount following a task analysis with no more than 1 verbal prompt in 3 out of 4 trials, as measured by task analysis checklist.
4. Given a simplified bank statement, the student will identify deposits, withdrawals, and the current balance with 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions, as measured by student work sample.
5. Given descriptions and examples, the student will correctly explain at least two differences between a debit card and a credit card in 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by verbal response and teacher rubric.
6. Given a simulated PIN-entry terminal, the student will demonstrate safe PIN handling (shielding the keypad, not sharing the number) in 5 out of 5 observed trials, as measured by teacher observation checklist.
7. Given a simulated mobile payment interface, the student will complete a payment to a designated recipient with no more than 2 verbal prompts in 3 out of 4 trials, as measured by task analysis checklist.
8. Given a mix of legitimate messages and common financial scams (phishing emails, fraudulent calls), the student will identify each scam and describe one protective strategy in 4 out of 5 trials, as measured by verbal or written response.
9. Given a savings account scenario with principal amount and interest rate, the student will calculate simple interest using a calculator with 80% accuracy in 3 out of 4 trials, as measured by student work sample.
10. Given a paycheck (real or simulated), the student will endorse and deposit it using mobile deposit or in-person banking with no more than 1 verbal prompt in 3 out of 4 opportunities, as measured by task analysis checklist.

Money IEP Goals at a Glance

Here is the debit-card goal from Making Purchases (goal 2) on a task-analysis sheet: 10 steps, each scored I (independent), G (gestural prompt), V (verbal prompt) or P (physical prompt), across two classroom-store sessions and two grocery trips.

Keep the same each time: same classroom store, same grocery store, same debit card. Scale circled: I / G / V / P.

Print a blank copy (one page, no sign-up): Download the checklist and rubric data sheet (PDF, one page)

The first grocery trip fell back to the Sep 28 level (3 of 10) after a good second classroom session, so classroom data alone would have overstated the skill. Steps 3, 5 and 8 were prompted in all four sessions. Step 8 is the critical step, because a card left in the reader is the one error the student can’t fix after walking away, so it gets taught on its own in class now. Graph steps independent per grocery trip against an aim line from 3 (the Sep 28 starting point) to 9 at the goal date; 9 of 10 steps independent leaves room for the one verbal prompt the goal allows.

Instructional Strategies for Teaching Money Skills

A 2021 systematic review identified self-care and independent living skills (including financial management) as a research-based predictor of independent living after high school (Mazzotti et al., 2021). Three approaches are widely used in money skills instruction.

Simulated instruction uses replica currency, mock stores, and role-play to teach discrete skills in a controlled setting. Classroom simulations allow repeated practice without the scheduling constraints of community outings. When paired with systematic prompt fading, students can carry those practiced steps into actual stores and banks.

Community-based instruction (CBI) takes money skills into actual stores, banks, and restaurants. Anderson et al.’s 2024 review, cited above, also found CBI widely used across school, home, and community settings. Pairing simulation with CBI, a combination Vieira de Melo et al.’s 2023 scoping review names as a critical strategy, lets students learn the steps in the classroom and apply them where they will actually use them.

Tiered and differentiated tasks let one teacher cover a mixed-ability class in the same block: a simplified task with support, a standard task at grade level, and an extended task with added complexity.

A 2023 scoping review found only seven publications on full financial education programs for people with disabilities (Vieira de Melo et al., 2023). With so few full programs available, IEP teams may need to combine several resources to build money goals across the full skills continuum.

Connecting Money Goals to Transition Planning

Money IEP goals belong inside the transition plan. Managing money is an independent living skill, and independent living is one of the postsecondary goal areas IDEA requires, where appropriate, from the first IEP in effect at age 16 (34 CFR §300.320(b), see above).

About 7.5 million students received special education services during 2022–23, or 15% of all public school students (NCES, 2024). Young adults with disabilities who completed postsecondary education were about three times as likely to hold savings and checking accounts than those who did not finish high school (NLTS2, 2011).

Connect money goals to the transition plan by:

• Writing postsecondary goals first. If the independent living goal includes managing finances, annual money IEP goals should feed directly into that target.
• Aligning to transition assessments. Set each goal’s baseline from a direct probe of the goal’s own task. A self-rating such as the Transition Curriculum’s Skills Inventory Survey, which has a Financial Literacy section, adds the student’s view of their own money skills to the transition conversation.
• Embedding money goals across service areas. Math, vocational, and daily living goals can each include a money skill component.
• Collecting data across settings. Track progress in classrooms (simulations), community (CBI trips), and work-based learning sites.

Financial Literacy Resources for Secondary Students

Ori Learning’s Transition Curriculum includes dedicated Financial Literacy courses built for high school students with disabilities. Its lessons on earning, spending, saving, budgeting, bank accounts and cards connect to many of the budgeting and banking goals on this page.

To see how financial literacy and money skills are sequenced across grade levels, explore the full scope and sequence.

Financial Literacy: Level 9–10 covers five lessons: Introduction to Money, Ways to Earn Money, Ways to Spend Your Money, How to Save Money, and an End-of-Unit Project. Students run classroom store simulations, create money maps allocating $100 across needs, wants, and helping others, and track earnings in a journal. End-of-unit projects (mock grocery store, job flyer, personal reflection) are tiered at three difficulty levels.

Financial Literacy: Level 11–12 builds toward independence: Money Matters, Budgeting Basics, Where You Keep Your Money, Using Credit and Debit Cards, and an End-of-Unit Project. Students build budgets using career cards with sample income and expense data, compare banks for student account perks, and evaluate credit-versus-debit scenarios. One end-of-unit project option has students plan a party within a set budget.

Several lessons include functional math practice, such as planning budgets and tracking expenses. The three-tier task structure lets teachers differentiate within one lesson, and end-of-unit projects serve as performance-based assessments completed over multiple days.

FAQ

What money IEP goals are appropriate for elementary versus secondary students?

Elementary students typically work on coin and bill identification, basic counting, and simulated transactions. Secondary students in transition programs should target budgeting, banking, community-based purchasing, and digital payment skills. Match the goal to the student’s present level rather than grade alone.

When should a student’s IEP shift from counting money to budgeting skills?

Introduce budgeting once a student can reliably count mixed currency, make purchases in a simulated or community setting, and grasp the link between earning and spending. For many students this happens in middle school or early high school. Some benefit from working on both at once: one goal on coin skills, another on weekly spending.

How do you document and measure mastery of money IEP goals?

Match the method to the goal type. Task analysis checklists suit multi-step procedures (purchasing, using an ATM). Permanent products, such as completed budgets and spending trackers, document computation goals. Teacher observation with rubrics captures community-based performance. Collect data across 3–5 opportunities before reporting mastery.

How do money skills connect to transition planning?

IDEA requires measurable postsecondary goals for training, education, employment and, where appropriate, independent living skills (34 CFR §300.320(b)), and financial management falls within the independent living domain. Money IEP goals should align to the student’s postsecondary independent living goal. If that goal includes managing personal finances, annual goals should target budgeting, banking, and community purchasing.

Sources

1. U.S. Department of Education. IDEA regulations, 34 CFR §300.320 (definition of the IEP, (b) transition services) and 34 CFR §300.43 (transition services, (a)(2)(v)).
2. Browder, D. M., & Grasso, E. (1999). Teaching money skills to individuals with mental retardation: A research review with practical applications. Remedial and Special Education, 20(5), 297–308. ERIC EJ594960.
3. Rowe, D. A., & Test, D. W. (2013). Effects of simulation to teach students with disabilities basic finance skills. Remedial and Special Education, 34(4), 237–248. ERIC EJ1015395.
4. National Disability Institute & FINRA Investor Education Foundation. (2017). Financial capability of adults with disabilities: Findings from the National Financial Capability Study. PDF.
5. Newman, L., Wagner, M., Knokey, A.-M., Marder, C., Nagle, K., Shaver, D., Wei, X., with Cameto, R., Contreras, E., Ferguson, K., Greene, S., & Schwarting, M. (2011). The post-high school outcomes of young adults with disabilities up to 8 years after high school: A report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) (NCSER 2011-3005). SRI International. Chapter 5 (PDF).
6. Anderson, A., Rousey, J., Wall, E., Spooner, F., Bross, L. A., & Harris, R. (2024). Using community-based instruction with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in today’s classroom: A systematic review of literature from 2010–2023. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 59(4), 371–387. SAGE.
7. Mazzotti, V. L., Rowe, D. A., Kwiatek, S., Voggt, A., Chang, W.-H., Fowler, C. H., Poppen, M., Sinclair, J., & Test, D. W. (2021). Secondary transition predictors of postschool success: An update to the research base. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 44(1), 47–64. SAGE.
8. Vieira de Melo, B. B., Silveira-Maia, M., & Ribeiro, S. B. (2023). Full financial education programmes for people with disabilities: A scoping review. Revista Brasileira de Educação Especial, 29, e0222. SciELO.
9. National Center for Education Statistics. (2024). Students with disabilities. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. NCES.