Financial Basics Everyone Should Know

Learn how to effectively navigate your finances to ensure you have a successful financial future. This course discusses savings, investments, insurance, and retirement.

How do banks work? Are you saving enough for retirement? Considering the answers to these questions and understanding financial basics is critical to planning a strong financial future. This course breaks down the mystery around the financial industry and provides practical knowledge for everyone, so you can manage accounts in an informed way, whether you are working with a financial advisor or not. Topics covered include savings, investments, insurance, retirement, and more.

Introduction: What Is Finance?

• Getting a handle on your finances

1. Save

• Understanding how banks operate
• Understanding bank rates
• Using certificate of deposits
• Understanding credit scores

2. Invest

• The stock market
• Determining when to adjust assets
• Determining the value of a stock
• Setting up a brokerage account
• Investing with mutual funds
• Investing with ETFs
• How bonds work
• Diversifying your portfolio

3. Insurance

• The basics of insurance
• The basics of life insurance
• The basics of property insurance
• Deciding whether HSAs are right for you

4. Retire

• Considering the four principles to retire
• Applying two rules for retirement
• Choosing between 401(k) and 403(b)
• Using Roth IRAs and SEP accounts

Conclusion

• Wrap up