>> you work, you save. >> reporter: while marvin is a spender, kathy is a saver so the couple makes all big financial decisions together. >> kathy had this guiding principle, if she's -- you know she spent $100 she got a headache. as we got married and had more resources can you add another zero. it was like a few thousand dollars. >> reporter: valerie coleman morris, who focuses on financial literacy for women, young people and people of color, points to a couple of reasons black americans are so behind in creating wealth and passing it on. >> money is still a very much off limits topic in the average family but in african-american families it's almost taboo. the second thing is the 401(k). we are not participating, and when we do participate we're contributing far less than most other people but in addition to that, there is this overwhelm ing need for becoming more financially literate and we aren't. >> i'm not talking about rich. i'm talking about wealth. >> reporter: but it's more than