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In 1984, Tomah High School math teacher Bill Martinson was assigned to teach a 9-week course on taxes.

“When I got here, there were about four pieces of paper on the subject that I could use,” Martinson recalled. “I still had to come up with enough materials that I could teach for a quarter. I went to the IRS to get some more materials, but that still wasn’t enough.”

From that meager start, Martinson has developed expertise in economic literacy that is widely respected. Earlier this year, he spoke before the National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy in Madison. He received a letter from Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle which thanked Martinson for his presentation and said, “Your efforts will ultimately help (students) prepare for financial success and keep Wisconsin on track to make all its citizens financially literate.”

Martinson teaches his taxes and investments course to between 75 and 200 upperclassmen every year. The elective course takes students through everyday money issues such as savings, investments, borrowing and filling out tax forms.

One of his indispensible sources is H&R Block. After the IRS came up short, Martinson found virtually all the materials he needed from the tax preparation giant. It also led him to a second job: tax preparer. He has worked part-time for H&R Block for 22 years, and he said there’s no better way to stay updated on the constantly changing tax code.

“Personally, Block has become a big savior as far as keeping up with all the changes,” Martinson said. “I put in anywhere from 50 to 100 hours of training a year for H&R Block to keep current.”

Until recently, courses on taxes and investments were taught separately. While students enter his class with varying levels of economic literacy, he said changes in spending and saving habits present a challenge. Students as young as age 16 now have access to credit cards.

“One of the goals of financial literacy is to tell students if they don’t have the money, they shouldn’t spend it,” Martinson said. “(Credit cards) are a double-edged sword. If kids learn to use them responsibly, they’re OK. But if your mom and dad pay the balance every month, where is the responsibility being taught?”

He said students are surprised how long it takes to clear a credit card debt by just paying the minimum balance every month.

Martinson emphasized that he doesn’t give financial advice, and that spending and saving are very personal issues.

“I’m not a financial planner,” Martinson said. “Students have to make their own personal decisions. Everyone’s definition of living comfortably is going to be different.”

Martinson said his status as an expert on teaching financial literacy fell to him unexpectedly when he was attending a 2005 conference in Green Bay.

“I was asked, ‘Can you present something? We had a speaker back out.’” he said. “After that, I had teachers from around the state asking me questions. I’ve been asked to come back ever since.”

He hopes students will retain what they learn in his class well into adulthood.

“My goal is that students will experience something in their lifetimes when they remember, ‘Mr. Martinson talked about that in class one day.’”