Topeka ? The state of Kansas has launched a new financial literacy website in an effort to educate residents about some of the money management challenges they face.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that KansasMoney.gov addresses topics such as budgeting and credit reports. The site also includes an interactive tool with 16 informative modules on a variety of financial topics.

“We see people in all realms, from having a minor little problem to having no problems to really having some pretty serious financial problems,” said Fidelity State Bank & Trust Co. president and CEO Allan Towle. “When you get into it, some of it is just from bad behavior, and some of it is just because the world changed around them and they weren’t prepared for it. The key is to make sure people have the willingness and the ability to know there are resources to help very early.”

Towle says financial literacy is a critical issue and that all ages can benefit from learning information that guides them to making good financial decisions. He and Topeka’s Housing and Credit Counseling Inc. supervisor Chris Burk also believe that tackling money challenges early on can make a big difference.

“What we see a lot of is just folks coming in here, not so much misusing money, but it’s just life happens and more issues came up than they were prepared for,” he said.

A recent WalletHub report says Kansas was the top state in its WalletLiteracy test, which scores the financial literacy of a state’s residents.

Gov. Sam Brownback declared April Financial Literacy Month in the state.