PERSONAL FINANCE

Teacher – Roger Jones

Contact information – 615-822-2375E-mail –

Textbook – Personal Finance , Jack R. Kapoor, Les R. Dlabay, Robert j. Hughes

ISBN-978-0-07-895839-7

GRADING SCALE

Homework / Classwork (100 point scale) 40%

Essay(100 point scale) 10%

Test(100 point scale) 50%

** Points will be deducted for late homework; 10 points per class period**

**Any work not received by the completion of the current section will receive a grade of Zero**

Veracross Codes

Description / Abbreviation / Notes
Pending / Pending / Assignment has not been graded or the deadline has not arrived
Complete / - / Completed assignment
Not Turned In / NTI / Student was present but did not turn in the assignment. Late penalties apply.
Missing Assignment / M / Student was absent. Student can receive full credit for the assignment when returning to school.
Incomplete / Inc / Student failed to finish or hand in an acceptable quality of work on a major assessment.
Not Required to Complete / NREQ / Student is not required to complete the assignment

Course Overview

This Personal Finance course will cover real life issues that face every person no matter the occupation, nationality, or economic background. The course will expose students to every aspect of Personal Finance from getting that first job and filling out a W-4 form, to the breakdown of withholdings on the first paycheck, to filling out a 1040ez tax form, all the way to setting up that last financial plan, estate planning. The class will give students tools that they can take from the class and put to use as soon as they leave the classroom. This is a must take class for anyone that wants to get a head start on their financial future.

Below is a course outline, which gives a description of each topic that will be covered and what will be taught. Each section will take approximately 2-3 weeks depending on comprehension. Each section will have homework or class work and a test. For some sections there will be a guest speaker that will come and talk with the class about the section at hand. For each section with a speaker there will be an essay due from notes taken from the lecture. The sections with the asterisk in front of them will have the speakers.

Assignment 1Career Planning

Objectives to be learned:

  1. How to determine your own interests, values, needs, and goals
  2. How to assess your education and abilities to select the proper career
  3. How to evaluate employment opportunities
  4. Strategies for obtaining employment
  5. What to do before accepting a job
  6. How to enhance your career development
  7. Learn about various résumé’s
  8. Learn how to fill out a job application

Assignment 2Financial Decisions and Goals

Objectives to be learned:

  1. The meaning of Personal Financial Planning
  2. The six steps of financial planning
  3. How to make goals that are realistic with a reasonable time frame
  4. What are the most important influences on personal financial planning
  5. What are trade-offs and opportunity costs
  6. The eight strategies for achieving your financial goals
  7. Time value of Money

Assignment 3Personal Financial Records

Objectives to be learned:

  1. Learn about cash flow statements and balance sheets
  2. How to prepare a budget
  3. Learn how to organize financial records

Assignment 4* Taxes

Objectives to be learned:

  1. Tax planning
  2. What types of things are taxable
  3. How to calculate your Adjusted Gross Income and Taxable Income
  4. How to prepare a W-4 form and what’s on a W-2
  5. How fill out a tax form (1040ez and 1040)
  6. Where to get tax preparation information

7. Who has to file a tax return

8. What documents are needed to prepare a tax return

9. How to read a tax table

Assignment 5*Banking

Objectives to be learned:

1. The types of financial services that are offered at commercial banks

2. The types of electronic banking services

3. The difference between deposit-type and nondeposit-type institutions

4. The different types of savings plans

5. How to evaluate the savings plans

6. How to evaluate checking accounts

7. What all is involved in a checking account

Assignment 6 Credit

Objectives to be learned:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of credit

2. The basic types of consumer credit

3. How to determine if you can afford a loan

4. The five C’s of credit

5. How to maintain a good credit rating

6. How to protect your credit

7. How to manage your debts

MID-TERM EXAMINATION

Assignment 7*Investing

Objectives to be learned:

  1. How to establish an investment plan
  2. How to decide where to invest your money
  3. The different types of investments
  4. What it means to diversify
  5. What are financial planners and what are their purpose
  6. How to evaluate and track investments
  7. The difference between dividends and interest
  8. The different risk factor

Assignment 8Consumer Purchasing

Objectives to be learned:

  1. What personal factors influence influence your buying decisions
  2. How to research your buying decisions
  3. How to use timing strategies in your purchasing decisions
  4. How to resolve consumer problems
  5. What legal options are available to consumers

Assignment 9Housing

Objectives to be learned:

  1. How your lifestyle will affect your housing decisions
  2. How to decide whether to rent and apartment or purchase a home
  3. What are the advantages of renting vs. buying
  4. How location and other factors will determine the amount of rent or purchase price
  5. What are the steps to the home buying process
  6. What are the steps to selling a house

Assignment 10 *Home/Auto Insurance

Objectives to be learned:

  1. The types of risks that are involved with insurance
  2. How property and liability insurance can protect your possessions
  3. What homeowners insurance protects
  4. What renters insurance protects
  5. What factors affect home insurance coverage
  6. What is covered under auto insurance
  7. What factors affect auto insurance coverage

Assignment 11*Life/Health Insurance

Objectives to be learned:

  1. Types of health insurance
  2. What are the benefits of insurance
  3. What are the trade offs in purchasing life or health insurance
  4. Where can you purchase health care plans
  5. What are the difference between private insurance and insurance provided by the government
  6. What is Disability insurance
  7. What are the trade offs of Disability Insurance
  8. What is the main purpose of life insurance
  9. Types of life insurance
  10. What are the standard features of a life insurance policy

Assignment 12*Retirement/Estate Planning

Objectives to be learned:

  1. How to start early for retirement
  2. How to estimate your retirement living expenses
  3. How social security affects your retirement income
  4. What are the employee sponsored and personal retirement plans
  5. The types of wills/trusts
  6. How estate taxes will affect your retirement

FINAL EXAMINATION

CLASS RULE

DO THE RIGHT THING!!!!!!!!!!!