Just because you're neurodivergent doesn't mean you're bad with money. Are there obstacles you have to overcome? Sure. A historic lack of workplace inclusion means that the neurodivergent unemployment rate is quite high, and it can be hard to manage your finances when you don't have a regular paycheck.1 Pile on top of that differences in executive function, and it starts to look like the world of money management just isn't built for you.
But in this day and age, there are more resources than ever to help you get on top of your money game. From neurodiversity programs with employers that pay a fair wage to 21st-century financial management tools, getting good with money may now be a goal that's within reach.
What Is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is a wide-reaching term. There are a number of different diagnoses and identities under its umbrella. The first ones that may come to mind are autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but neurodivergence can also include:2
- • Dyslexia
- • Dyspraxia
- • Dyscalculia
- • Dysgraphia
- • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- • Tourette syndrome
- • Down syndrome
- • Bipolar disorder
- • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- • Clinical depression or anxiety disorders
The word "disorder" is tacked onto a lot of these diagnoses, but it's important to remember that neurodivergence isn't necessarily a deficiency. In reality, neurodivergent people just have a normal manifestation of natural brain function and behavioral variations that happen across the human population.
That said, the world isn't built with neurodiversity in mind, so neurodivergent people might need supports or accommodations. This is no less true when it comes to personal finances.
Understanding How Executive Function May Affect Money Management
Neurodivergence doesn't just manifest differently by diagnosis—it also manifests differently from person to person. That means your difficulties with financial management might look different from another person's, even if you have the same diagnosis.
At Synchrony, we understand that neurodivergent employees may identify differences in executive function as the one unifying feature most neurodivergent individuals experience. When your executive function is operating on a different wavelength, you might struggle with:
- • Time management
- • Organization skills
- • Staying focused on less preferred tasks
- • Getting back on task after an interruption
These challenges can make things like budgeting and remembering to pay bills tricky. Luckily, you can build in accommodations for yourself as you're managing your finances.
6 Money Management Tips for Neurodivergent People
You might operate differently, but that doesn't mean you can't live your best financial life. You may just need to approach things from a different angle.
1. Set a routine
It may be easier to remember to get something done when it's part of your regular routine. One way to accommodate your needs can be setting regular "money dates" with yourself or with your partner. You might do this weekly, every other week or once a month, sitting down to budget and review your past spending. When it's part of your routine, it's harder to forget—and harder to procrastinate.
Even after something's part of your routine, it can be helpful to set reminder alarms for your money dates. You can use the alarm on your phone, or even set up an event in Google Calendar to receive reminders across devices. Need an additional reminder? You might consider setting up an auditory system, such as a smart technology device or something similar, to alert you at a specific time with relevant details.
2. Automate as much as possible
A great way to get around remembering to pay your bills is to set up an automatic system so you don't need to pay them manually. If you have consistent cash flow, setting up automatic bill payments can help you eliminate the friction.
For example, you might need to make a payment on your auto loan on the 15th of every month, but you struggle to remember to follow through. You could set up an automatic payment of this bill from your checking account on or prior to the 15th. You don't need to think about it, and the bill still gets paid.
Automation can also help you build your savings. Transferring money to your savings or investment accounts is an extra step to remember, and it might even feel painful if you're tempted to spend the money immediately instead of stashing it away for the future. But if you automate the process, you won't even have to think about it. Just set it and forget it!
3. Consolidate your finances
In today's high-interest environment, it may be alluring to open bank account after bank account to take advantage of introductory interest rate offers or even cash-bonus offers. But having your money spread across too many financial institutions can be like having too many tabs open in your brain.
It can be much easier to successfully manage your finances if they're all in one place, or at least in as few places as possible. Try to consolidate your checking, savings and potentially even credit or insurance accounts with one or two financial institutions to combat issues with executive functioning differences.
4. Get an accountability buddy
Some of our employees here at Synchrony engage an accountability buddy. It's easy to hit "dismiss" on an alarm or calendar notification, but it's harder to ignore another human being who's working with you on the same goals.
Your accountability buddy might be a partner or spouse. It could also be a friend who is similarly working to improve their finances, and who meets with you on a regular basis so you can review your budgets, spending and other financial goals.
5. Account for your neurodivergent learning style
There are so many ways to process the world, and neurodivergent individuals may have any number of learning styles. You may think in pictures, numbers or words. Some people are kinesthetic learners, which means it helps to integrate hands-on learning strategies and physical touch.3 When you can tailor your financial management experience to support your learning style, you're more likely to successfully engage.
If written words and numbers are your thing, most apps and budgeting tools are already built for your learning style. If you're a visual learner, seek out financial tools that integrate charts and graphs to help you visualize your money, like the dashboard for our high yield savings account. Auditory learners might benefit from having someone to talk through their finances with them.
If you're a kinesthetic learner, you might do better with a cash budget than with payment options that require a scan or swipe. That might mean budgeting with an envelope system rather than a spreadsheet.
6. Access resources for career stability and neurodiversity
We know that career stability is a massive problem for neurodivergent individuals. In fact, unemployment rates are 30% to 40% for all neurodivergent adults.1 Unemployment is particularly high for individuals with autism, who along with other neurodivergent people may live in a type of forced poverty in order to qualify for state-sponsored healthcare services.4
Automating your finances without a steady paycheck is difficult. Maybe ableism prevents you from securing or holding down a job, or maybe you get hyperfixated on work to the point where you eventually reach burnout.
If you're having trouble finishing school or maintaining employment, there are resources to help. While some colleges and universities follow the rules better than others, all are required to provide accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).5 To learn more, reach out to your school's disability services office. In some states, you may also be able to get grant funding for academic or entrepreneurial efforts through your state's office of vocational rehabilitation.
An increasing number of employers are recognizing the contributions of neurodivergent employees, too. Seek out programs that connect you with employers who are eager to hire. One example is the Werth Institute's Center for Neurodiversity & Employment Innovation at the University of Connecticut.
Last Word
Just because you're neurodivergent doesn't mean you're doomed to money management failure. Doing things successfully may just mean doing things differently. While there's still a long way to go, today there are more resources than ever to help you succeed.
Brynne Conroy is a personal finance writer based in Pennsylvania. Her book, The Feminist Financial Handbook, was an Amazon #1 New Release across multiple categories and has been cited in various academic texts. She was the co-host of the award-winning podcast Mom Autism Money, and has been awarded a PEN America grant for the body of her work in the field.
Josh Crafford is the Learning and Development leader for Technology and Operations with Synchrony, a neurodivergent thought leader, a neurodiversity strategic partner with multiple universities, and a speaker. He attributes his passion and nonconventional methodologies to his lifelong learnings of having dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia and anxiety.
READ MORE: The Ultimate Guide to Personal Finance
Sources/references
1. The Center for Neurodiversity & Employment Innovation. University of Connecticut. Accessed July 17, 2023.
2. Neurodivergent. Cleveland Clinic. June 2, 2022
3. What Is a Kinesthetic Learner? Bay Atlantic University. January 25, 2022.
4. Goldfarb, D. and Ford, M. Lifeline for people with disabilities forces them to live in poverty. The Hill. October 24, 2022.
5. Auxiliary Aids and Services for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities. U.S. Department of Education. September 1998.
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