Introducing the Money Council, a group of experts convened to help millennials take control of their financial future - part of BI's Master Your Money series

In January, Business Insider launched Master your Money, a series focused on helping millennials navigate financial headwinds and build a secure future.

Compared to previous generations, those who came of age in the 2000s inherited an unprecedented series of circumstances that has set them back and undermined their confidence.

"Given the horrible timing millennials had in coming into the job market -- the worst recession in decades -- it does tend to have a lingering effect," said Mark Dolliver, a senior analyst at eMarketer, the sister company to Business Insider Intelligence, and a member of BI's Money Council.

"They are somewhat the victims of the long-term effect of the economy as a whole, including stagnating wages," he added.

Our Master Your Money series aims to arm millennials with tools and inspiration to help them take advantage of financial opportunities and keep their debts and downturns in perspective.

From Hillary Hoffower's in-depth analysis of the precarious feeling many millennials have about money, to Tanza Loudenback's explanation of all your options when dealing with student-loan debt, we have sought not only to explain the problem but illuminate a way forward.

Data helps tell the story, so we collaborated with Business Insider Intelligence on a study, "Master Your Money: Learn and Plan Survey," which polled 2,007 adults age 19 to 37 in November 2019.

To help us navigate these difficult financial situations, we have convened a group we call the Money Council, which comprises experts and leaders from across the financial spectrum who understand the headwinds millennials have endured. This council is led by Tanza Loudenback, a personal finance correspondent at Business Insider and a candidate for certification as a financial planner.