Money Education’s legacy in financial education began in 1981 with Dr. Michael Dalton, a pioneer in financial planning education. Dr. Dalton’s professional career has been dedicated to advancing financial planning education and elevating the financial planning profession. He has consistently focused on integrating financial planning strategies with academic theory, effectively bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world application.

His journey as a thought leader in financial planning began in 1980 when he taught Accounting and Personal Finance at Loyola University, where he served until 2001. During that time, he established a CFP Board-registered educational program at Loyola. Outside of teaching, he also was a financial planner, providing comprehensive advice to individuals and small businesses.

A pivotal figure in the CFP certification process, Dr. Dalton served on the CFP Board of Governors (1993 - 1994), the Board of Examiners (1989-1993), and as Chair of the Board of Examiners (1993), where he was instrumental in establishing rigorous certification standards and ethics for financial planners.

In 1995, Michael, alongside James and Donna Dalton, founded Dalton Publications, one of the first providers of review courses and preparatory materials for the CFP certification exam (1995-2002). In 1996, Robin Meyer joined the team, expanding the company’s course offerings.

Dalton Publications quickly became the nation’s leading provider of CFP® Exam preparation, offering both live reviews and self-study resources. In addition, Mike and James co-authored the “Personal Financial Planning Cases & Applications” textbook (1996), one of the first case studies for comprehensive financial planning education. They also co-authored “Personal Financial Planning: Theory & Practice” textbook (2000), one of the first textbooks focused on introducing students and practitioners to the field of financial planning.

In 2002, Dalton Publications was acquired by BISYS Inc. and integrated into BISYS Education Services, alongside other education companies such as Pictorial, Examco, and Dover International. Following a leadership change in 2007, BISYS sold its education division to Kaplan, where the original materials authored by Michael and James Dalton from 1995 to 2002 remain a foundation of Kaplan’s CFP® Exam Review products.

In 2004, the original team of Michael, James, Donna, and Robin founded Money Education with a renewed vision of delivering premier financial education and reference materials to colleges, universities, and professionals nationwide. In 2017, Leeds Equity Partners, a New York-based private equity firm specializing in the Knowledge Industries, invested in Dalton Education, LLC and Money Education, establishing them as the foundation for CeriFi, a broader financial education platform.