Personal Finance

Create Your Financial Plan: The Personal Finance Professional Certificate is designed for individuals to build financial literacy, one of the most pressing needs Americans face today. Financial decisions made by individuals impact the larger community in significant ways. A recent study by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) reveals over 50% of Americans have less than $10,000 saved for retirement. In addition, over 50% of Americans have no emergency fund, unable to cope with an unexpected car repair without borrowing funds. Financial literacy is an urgent need for many and there is a pervasive cost to financial mistakes.

With the Personal Finance Professional Certificate, you’ll gain the basic building blocks to build a secure foundation for your future. Designed for the beginner to intermediate learner, the program consists of three courses:

• Introduction to Personal Financial Planning
• Managing Personal Cash & Credit
• Planning for Risk, Retirement & Investment

Through these courses, you’ll develop your ability to:

• Plan for personal success and financial security
• Take the long view when preparing your financial future
• Understand budgets, taxes, and the time value of money

Explore obstacles to financial success including cognitive errors and confirmation

• Manage your day-to-day expenses, disbursements, and income
• Discover the pros and cons of open and secured forms of consumer credit
• Compare short-term investments and savings products
• Manage risk in the most cost-effective and productive manner
• Evaluate various risk-management and insurance products and services
• Understand your retirement needs from a strategic perspective
• Create personal freedom and build wealth through a broad perspective of investing
• Develop a mindset of success, personal freedom, and empowerment

Understand how financial planning impacts your personal wealth over a lifetime. This course develops your ability to work with income statements, balance sheets, budgets, and taxes to achieve your financial goals.

Discover the five c’s of credit, how to improve your credit score, and how to determine if a line of credit is right for you. This course prepares you to choose the right financial institution for your specific situation, evaluate cash management products, and use credit wisely.

Learn to assess your tolerance for risk, evaluate investment products, and develop an investment mindset. This course prepares you to compare insurance policies, calculate your need for retirement income, and includes a step-by-step workshop on retirement planning.