This work aims to understand the level of knowledge of young college students and to know if they are preparing for retirement. A survey was carried out with young university students from Rio de Janeiro studying or who are newly graduated. It addressed the level of financial education, the importance and preparation for the retirement and financial planning of young people. The study found that while young people have basic financial knowledge, they are lagging behind in terms of existing types of investments. It was also noticed that young people remain unprepared and unconcerned about retirement and that they do not make adequate financial planning to achieve their goals. The result of this study provides opportunities for further research on the subject and for the changes needed to improve the financial literacy of young people in Brazil.