How it Works
2026 Connecticut Personal Finance Challenge - Overview
The Connecticut State Personal Finance Challenge consists of two rounds – the first round is the Online Challenge and then the top 8 teams will advance to the next round for in-person state finals.
Round One, The Online Challenge (January 1st - March 17th, 2026)
The Online Challenge is a 30-question, rapid-fire exam with questions from categories on Income and Money Management, Spending and Credit, and Saving and Investing. Individual students will complete the Challenge online at their schools, under the supervision of their teachers or an approved exam proctor. Each student will have 35 minutes to complete the exam. The top 8 teams from the Online Challenge will advance to the In-Person Connecticut State Finals.
Round Two, In-Person Connecticut State Finals (March 31st, 2026)
The top 8 state finalist teams advance to the state finals competition in-person in Stamford on March 31st, 2026. The state finals consists of two rounds – First, all 8 state finalist teams compete in the case study round and use their knowledge to create a financial plan for a fictitious family scenario. Then, the top 4 teams from the case study round will advance to compete for the state championship title in a Quiz Bowl.
1. Case Study Round:
All 8 state finalist teams will compete in this round, with the top 4 teams advancing to the quiz bowl based on evaluations from the judging panels.
2. Final Quiz Bowl:
In this decisive round, the top four teams will compete in a 20-question Quiz Bowl to determine the winner of the 2026 National Personal Finance Challenge!
The first-place team at the Connecticut State Finals will also advance to the National Finals!
REGISTRATION & ONLINE CHALLENGE
GET STARTED:
If you have participated in the NPFC in the past and don’t need a reminder of the process listed below, you can simply register your students teams by going to Connecticut Teacher Login.
REGISTER YOUR ACCOUNT AND CREATE TEAMS:
1. Begin your competition journey here: Connecticut
2. On the drop-down menu search for your state and click ‘Go’.
3. Click on ‘Teacher Registration’, enter your information, create a password, and click ‘Register’.
4. Click on ‘Teacher login’ and enter your email and password. Make sure your profile is up to date!
PREPARE YOUR TEAMS:
1. When you’re in your dashboard, make sure you understand how the competition works and take advantage of our ‘Practice Tests’.
2. Click on ‘Register your Students’ and select a time/date to administer the test. Do not share the student access codes with your students until they are ready to log-in to take the test.
3. Prepare your students with our NPFC toolkit and practice tests. CEE’s Financial Fitness for Life (available for purchase here) offers lessons and activities to teach a robust personal finance curriculum.
4. Use our practice case studies to give your students the chance to apply what they have learned and build their critical thinking and presentation skills.
COMPETE:
1. On the date of the test, your students will go the portal and complete a 30-question, 35-minute online challenge covering the six knowledge areas of personal finance.
2. You will be notified about your team(s) results at the conclusion of the online portion of the state competition and will be alerted if your team advances to the next round.
NATIONALS:
1. The National Personal Finance Challenge Finals will be held in Atlanta, Georgia May 31st - June 1st, 2026.
2. The Council for Economic Education will not cover the teams' travel costs to the National Finals.
3. All expenses are paid once in Atlanta, Georgia. This includes lodging, food, and any event costs.
4. The Finals will consist of three rounds.
5. An initial Case Study Round - The top 16 teams advance to the next round as decided by judging panels.
6. The Top 16 teams will then compete in a 15 question Quiz Bowl where the Top 4 teams will advance.
7. The Final Challenge is a 20 question Quiz Bowl to decide the winner of the National Personal Finance Challenge!
Good Luck!