Financial services refer to the economic services provided by the finance industry, including banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, brokerages, and investment funds. There are several types of financial services, including banking services like checking accounts and loans; foreign exchange services like currency exchange and wire transfers; investment services like asset management and hedge funds; and insurance services like brokerage and reinsurance. Financial services play important roles like facilitating transactions in the economy, mobilizing savings and allocating capital, transforming risk, and monitoring managers. They are important because they help people better manage their finances to take control of their money and make better investment decisions by understanding their goals.