Chapters

Get Help to Make Informed Financial Decisions About How to Pay For College

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Melissa Hart

It’s more important than ever for students and former students to make smart decisions about financing their college education.  Whether you are attending college soon, are a current student, or already have student loans, here are some tools and resources to help you make the best decisions for you.

For many people, how to pay for a college education is one of the first major financial decisions they’ll make.  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has published excellent guides on paying for college. These guides cover some of the big decisions you’ll face and will help you understand your options for financing your college education.

If you’re considering student loans to help pay for school, you’re not alone—many students need loans to cover their full cost of attendance.  If you have to take out a student loans, comparing your options can help you find the student loan best suited for your needs.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Ask students if they applied for a student loan. What steps did they take to successfully obtain a loan?
  • Ask students to prepare a list of several federal and state sources of student loans for college.
  • Ask students if they had any problems in filling the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. How was the problem resolved?

Discussion Questions

  1. If a student is eligible for a federal loan, why is it important to take subsidized loans first?
  2. If you have to borrow money for school, what are your options?
  3. What should you consider when shopping for a private loan?
Categories: Financial Planning, _Appendix A | Tags: , | Leave a comment

10 Reasons You Will Never Get Out of Debt

Posted on September 12, 2015 by Melissa Hart

“Do you feel as if you’ll be in debt forever?  You’re not alone.”

According to a CreditCards.com survey, 13 percent of Americans say they’ll never pay off all their loans, and another 8 percent say they won’t pay off what they owe until they’re 71 years old.  While the results of the survey are discouraging, this Kiplinger article describes the following 10 reasons people can’t get out of debt and also provides suggestions for getting out of debt.

  1. You don’t know how much you owe.
  2. You pay only the minimum.
  3. Your mortgage is too big.
  4. You took out too many student loans.
  5. You can’t say no to your kids.
  6. You don’t have money for emergencies.
  7. You feel a sense of entitlement.
  8. Your car loan is too long.
  9. You rack up late fees.
  10. Your interest rates are too high.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

You may want to use the information in this blog post and the original article to

  • Explain how people get in trouble when they make financial decisions without considering the consequences.
  • Go into more detail about how each of the 10 reasons described in this article affect an individual’s financial future.

Discussion Questions

  1. How do you plan to balance your objective of creating an enjoyable and entertaining life with the objective of building a secure financial future?
  2. Based on the 10 reasons in this article, what steps can you take to improve your financial planning for the future.
Categories: Chapter 1, Chapter_11, Debt, Investments, Opportunity Costs, Time Value of Money | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Retirement Can’t Wait

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Melissa Hart

A few decades ago, Americans had a pretty solid three-legged retirement stool.  Social Security and personal savings combined with traditional pensions led to good middle-class retirements for millions.  But today’s stool is a little too wobbly to support that lifestyle for coming generations of workers and retirees.  The Great Recession shows all of us just how vulnerable 401(k) type plans and IRAs can be, and with the savings rates dangerously low, the need to strengthen the system is clear.  Today, workers are largely responsible for their own retirement investments.  The days of a defined benefit pension that you couldn’t outlive are a thing of the past.  Today, we have to take greater ownership for starting our savings, managing and then figuring out how much to draw in retirement.

Most workers need advice on how to invest their 401(k) and IRA savings.  Too often, that advice is not delivered in the customer’s best interest.  The Labor Department is working with the financial services industry, consumer groups and Members of Congress to come up with a plan that protects retirement savings from financial conflicts of interest.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Ask students to analyze their current assets and liabilities for retirement planning.
  • Will your students’ spending patterns change during retirement?
  • What are the basic steps in retirement planning?

Discussion Questions

  1. Why is retirement planning so important for today’s workers?
  2. Can you depend on Social Security and your company pension to pay for your basic living expenses in retirement? Why or why not?
  3. Why is it important to start early for a secure retirement?
Categories: Chapter_14, Financial Planning, Investments, Retirement Planning, Savings | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

A Sick Market Is Set to Be Tested Further

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Melissa Hart

“Even after bouncing hard off last week’s lows, the stock market has appeared unwell.”

Based on current information from August 2015, Michael Santoli, the author of this article, explains some of the “big” problems that are affecting the stock market and the nation’s economy.  He cites the following major factors that account for the current downward spiral of the U.S. financial markets.

  • Economic slowdown in China
  • More realistic expectations for future economic growth
  • Lower forecasts for corporate earnings growth
  • Uncertainty about the Federal Reserve’s decisions that could impact interest rates
  • The political climate leading up to the 2016 presidential election

One final point:  The month of September is typically the worst month of the year for stocks.  September 2015 should be an interesting month to say the least–get ready and hang on for what promises to be a rough ride.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

You may want to use the information in this blog post and the original article to

  • Point out that economic growth and the financial markets can go up or go down depending on factors like those described in this article. If you sell, what would you do with your money?
  • Stress that a long-term investment program that can even out the ups and downs in the market.

Discussion Questions

Although the stock market has been on the upswing for the last few years, the summer of 2015 has been a rough “ride” for most investors.

  1. If you are an investor and expect that it is time for a correction or downturn in the market, what would you sell some or all of your investments? If you sell, what would you do with the money?
  2. Some financial experts argue that a correction can be a buying opportunity to purchase quality stocks at lower prices. Do you agree?  Explain your answer.
Categories: Chapter_12, Investments, Stocks | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Modernize Your Resume

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Melissa Hart

Resumes continue to evolve. To have a modern-looking resume, consider these suggestions:

  • Use keywords from the job description that will allow the applicant tracking systems (ATS) to select your resume.
  • Adapt your resume to each position for which you apply. Use organization-specific keywords to help you get an interview.
  • Eliminate your photos and references from your resume.
  • Include social media links for the recruiter to obtain additional information on your background and activities.
  • Make use of callout boxes, in addition to bullet points and line breaks, to highlight key experiences, qualifications, and accomplishments.

For additional information on updating your resume, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students talk to others to obtain suggestions for updating a resume.
  • Have students create a resume based on these suggestions.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What are common mistakes people make on resumes?
  2. How might a person improve the effectiveness of their resume?
Categories: Career, _Appendix B | Tags: | Leave a comment

Many Americans Have No Savings

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Melissa Hart

About three in ten Americans have no emergency savings, according to a study conducted by Bankrate.com. This number has increased in recent years, mainly due to the lack of growth in household income. Without an emergency fund, people tend to encounter even greater financial difficulties. A person will often use high-interest debt to cover unexpected expenses. In addition to the 29 percent with no savings, another 21 percent have less than three months worth of expenses saved.

For additional information on emergency savings, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students ask several people who their might cope with a financial emergency.
  • Have students create a plan for creating a emergency savings fund.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What are methods that might be used to cope with a financial emergency?
  2. How might a person be encouraged to create an emergency fund?
Categories: Budget, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Financial Planning, Retirement Planning, Savings | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Vital Financial Concepts To Teach Children

Posted on August 22, 2015 by Melissa Hart

Learning at home is the starting point for teaching children about money. These eleven key personal concepts should be explained and experienced by children as they are growing up:

  1. Saving
  2. Budget
  3. Loan
  4. Debt
  5. Interest
  6. Credit card
  7. Taxes
  8. Investment
  9. Stock
  10. 401(k)
  11. Credit score

The age at which these concepts are taught will vary.

For additional information on teaching vital personal finance concepts to children, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students describe how they learned about these concepts.
  • Have students conduct a survey among young consumers to determine their knowledge of these topics.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What additional personal finance concepts might be added to this list?
  2. What actions might parents take to teach these concepts to their children?

 

Categories: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Financial Planning | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Revising Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Melissa Hart

Dave Ramsey has taught and encouraged millions to get out of debt and to achieve an improved financial situation through his “seven baby steps,” which are: (1) establish a $1,000 emergency fund; (2) pay off debt; (3) save three to six months of expenses; (4) invest 15 percent of income in pre-tax retirement funds; (5) plan for the funding of the college education of children; (6) pay off mortgage as soon as possible; (7) build wealth and give.

An alternative perspective to this approach might be:

  1. Create a larger initial emergency fund.
  2. Instead of paying off the smallest debts first, pay off the ones with the highest interest.
  3. A minimum of six months for expenses is needed, with twelve months more realistic.
  4. Take advantage of any 401k matching offered by employers.
  5. College may not be the right educational choice for everyone. Also, those who go to college should be responsible for a portion of education costs.
  6. Home ownership may not be appropriate for everyone. When buying a home, paying off a mortgage may be a higher priority than saving for college to reduce the amount of interest paid.
  7. Making money, saving money, and donating to charity should be the main focus.

For additional information on personal financial planning actions, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students survey others regarding their use of these personal financial planning suggestions.
  • Have students obtain additional financial planning suggestions using online research.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What do you believe are the most important actions that should be taken regarding wise personal financial planning?
  2. How would you communicate these financial planning actions to others?
Categories: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Credit Cards, Debt, Financial Planning, Wise Shopping | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Auto Insurance Resources

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Melissa Hart

Having adequate auto insurance and determining what coverages are needed are fundamental for avoiding financial difficulties. Consumer Action (www.consumer-action.org) offers a variety of materials related to shopping for auto insurance, managing auto insurance costs, and obtaining assistance when encountering trouble when filing a claim.

These resources includes downloadable publications on the basics of auto insurance in English, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese. Also available are PowerPoint slides and lessons plans.

For additional information on auto insurance resources, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students develop actions that can reduce the cost of auto insurance.
  • Have students create a video that demonstrates financial problems associated with not having adequate auto insurance.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What are information sources that might be used to become better informed on auto insurance?
  2. How might a person reduce the cost of auto insurance?
Categories: Car Insurance, Chapter 8, insurance, Wise Shopping | Tags: | Leave a comment

Avoiding Banking App Errors

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Melissa Hart

While smartphone apps have made banking easier than ever, threats to financial security continue to grow.  However, some simple actions can be taken to avoid banking app mistakes.

1.    Don’t conduct banking transactions on public Wi-Fi networks since they are vulnerable to hackers. Use a virtual private network (VPN), which provides added security and encryption.
2.    Log out after your session to prevent a thief from getting access to your bank account.
3.    Select a not-so-obvious username. Create password recovery questions with responses that are difficult to obtain from public records.
4.    Update your app when a new version is available to take advantage new security features.
5.    Create a strong password with special characters, and it should be at least 12 characters long. Change your password every 90 days.

For additional information on banking app errors, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students talk with others about their experiences using banking apps.
  • Have students locate online information about the latest security features fof banking apps.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What are benefits of costs of banking apps?
  2. How might banking apps be improved for increased financial security?
Categories: Chapter 4, Financial Services, Frauds and Scams, Identity Theft | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

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