Personal Finance Courses

Personal finance includes all the actions taken by an individual or family to manage money in the present while making financial plans for the future. An understanding of personal finance is important to building long-term wealth, and it is especially important for young adults because the benefits of good financial habits accrue over time. Managing a budget and saving money may be the start of your financial journey, but a well-rounded personal finance strategy typically includes other elements.

Achieving long-term goals such as buying a house or starting a business may require making informed decisions about taking on (and repaying) debt through a mortgage or loans. Preparing for retirement and estate planning often includes responsible investments in financial markets, with a portfolio balanced to fit your preferences for risk vs. reward. Shrewd risk management practices may also include the purchase of insurance to cover key assets such as your business, home, or other personal property.‎

The job most directly related to this field is a personal financial advisor, who helps clients assess their goals and recommend savings and investment strategies to allow them to live the lives they envision. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, personal financial advisors make a median salary of $87,850 per year, and their job growth is expected to be faster than average due to a large proportion of the population approaching retirement and needing financial planning advice.

Other careers may provide different types of products and services used in personal finance. For example, real estate brokers work closely with clients to help bring their home ownership dreams to fruition, and must be familiar with different financing options available to them. Insurance sales agents must similarly understand how their products fit within their customers’ personal finance goals.‎

Yes! Whether you are looking to create financial strategies for yourself or as a career to aid others, Coursera has a wide range of online courses and Specializations on personal finance and related topics like financial planning and investment management. These courses are offered by top-ranked institutions including the University of Florida, Rice University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, so you don’t have to sacrifice the quality of your education to learn remotely. You’ll be learning from the same faculty and completing the same coursework as on-campus students but at a significantly lower tuition, allowing you to begin your financial studies by investing in yourself.‎

Before learning personal finance, you need a strong foundation in math. Finance is among the most quantitative subjects, and it requires some math even for basic tasks like balancing checkbooks and paying bills. Having a background in mathematics makes it easier to learn some of the key skills you need, like assessing investment performance and planning ahead. It also helps to have solid analytic capabilities and good communication skills, particularly if you intend to build a career in personal finance. If you're taking a beginner-level course, you'll gain skills like assessing risk, making investments, creating a budget, and saving money, which will help you as you continue to more advanced topics.‎

People who are passionate about money matters and those who have the drive to help others better manage their finances are among those best suited to working in a personal finance role. Financial advisors, for example, work one-on-one with their clients to help them manage money in addition to providing recommendations for investments based on short- and long-term goals. You'll need both an analytical mind and solid communication skills when working with clients.‎

If you want to manage your money effectively, learning personal finance is for you. In fact, learning about personal finance can benefit everyone, no matter their age or career goals. Many experts suggest that personal finance skills are critical to helping people live happy, secure lives because it allows you to develop skills like budgeting, which helps prevent you from overspending and makes it possible to save money. Gaining a good grasp on the fundamentals can benefit you personally by empowering you to take control of what you spend and how you spend it while discovering ways to make your money work for you.‎