Gail MarksJarvis: Thanks, Mom -- for the money advice

You probably didn't find a Mother's Day card thanking your mom for helping you figure out how to handle your money. Some of the typical messages I saw lately involved thanks for giving warm hugs, being understanding and showing strength. But if I had my way, thanks for money advice would be among the valued Mother's Day messages, because studies show that too many Americans are seriously deficient on money basics. Consequently, adults end up buried in debt without any idea how to escape, and 53 percent of Americans are estimated to go into retirement without enough money to keep up their preretirement lifestyle. In part, children miss the basic lessons about money because many parents ...