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There are 4 modules in this course
This course is a general overview of a variety of personal finance topics - including budgeting, the importance of your credit score, cash flow, setting financial goals, and taxes. Taught by two CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professionals, the concepts are broken down through videos, readings, and activities so you can apply what you are learning in real time. The course provides the foundation to build on for the rest of The Fundamentals of Personal Finance Specialization or as a standalone survey course to improve your understanding of basic personal finance terminology, as well as how they apply to your own financial situation.
Whether you are just starting college, nearing retirement, or somewhere in between, this course will provide you with the knowledge to understand your money and actionable steps to manage your finances in the future. This course is geared towards learners in the United States of America.
This module will cover the importance of being intentional with your finances and the underlying forces impacting your current relationship with money.
What's included
16 videos8 readings6 assignments
Show info about module content
16 videos•Total 70 minutes
Course Introduction•6 minutes
The Basics of Financial Planning•5 minutes
Life Cycle of Financial Planning•4 minutes
Financial Planning in 6 Steps•5 minutes
Understand the Human Side of Personal Finances•5 minutes
Deep Dive into Personality 1 - Money Worship•4 minutes
Deep Dive into Personality 2 - Money Avoidance•3 minutes
Deep Dive into Personality 3 - Money Vigilance•5 minutes
Deep Dive into Personality 4 - Money Status•4 minutes
Managing Finances with a Partner – Where to Start•5 minutes
Managing Finances with a Partner – Joint Accounts, Separate Accounts or Some of Both?•4 minutes
Working with Your Partner on Finances•3 minutes
Understanding and Overcoming Loss Aversion•4 minutes
Understanding and Overcoming Hindsight Bias•4 minutes
Understanding and Overcoming Confirmation Bias•4 minutes
Understanding and Overcoming Reference Bias•4 minutes
8 readings•Total 56 minutes
About Your Instructor•1 minute
Activity - Financial Knowledge•12 minutes
Activity - Identify Interests, Fears, and Questions•6 minutes
Tips for Creating a Financial Plan•5 minutes
How to Plan for Your Future•7 minutes
Overview of Money Personalities•10 minutes
Activity-Take Your Money Personality Assessment (KSMI)•10 minutes
Improving Your Relationship With Money•5 minutes
6 assignments•Total 56 minutes
An Introduction to Financial Planning•4 minutes
The Financial Planning Process•2 minutes
Common Money Personalities Assessment•5 minutes
Roles and Responsibility•5 minutes
Behavioral Bias•10 minutes
Approaching Your Finances with Purpose•30 minutes
Understanding Your Net Worth and Credit Score
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
This module will help you assess your current financial situation by detailing assets, liabilities, and credit scores.
What's included
13 videos7 readings7 assignments
Show info about module content
13 videos•Total 63 minutes
What is Net Worth and Why Does it Matter?•4 minutes
Types of Assets - Understanding What You Own•5 minutes
Measuring and Assessing Your Liquidity•4 minutes
Types of Debt - Understanding What You Owe•5 minutes
Using Personal Finance Tools to Understand What You Own and Owe•2 minutes
What is a Credit Score and Why Does It Matter?•4 minutes
Who Determines Your Credit Score?•5 minutes
Key Components of Your Credit Score•8 minutes
What’s Your Credit Score?•4 minutes
How to Request and Review Your Credit Report•5 minutes
How to Improve Your Credit Score•8 minutes
9 Most Common Credit Score Mistakes•4 minutes
Protecting Your Credit•5 minutes
7 readings•Total 49 minutes
What Are Liquid Assets and How Do They Work?•7 minutes
What Are the Different Types of Debt?•6 minutes
Activity - Determine Your Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth •10 minutes
What is a FICO Score?•5 minutes
Activity - Obtain and Assess Your Credit Score •8 minutes
Activity - Obtain Your Credit Report•8 minutes
How to Build Credit Over Time•5 minutes
7 assignments•Total 49 minutes
Matching Assets to Categories•3 minutes
Matching Liabilities to Categories•3 minutes
The Ins and Outs of Credit Scores•3 minutes
The Components of Your Credit Score•3 minutes
Checking In on Your Credit Score•3 minutes
Improving Your Credit Score Over Time•4 minutes
Understanding Your Net Worth and Credit Score•30 minutes
Assessing Your Cash Flow and Taxes
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
This module will help you understand where your money is coming from and where it is going, including taxes.
What's included
10 videos12 readings7 assignments
Show info about module content
10 videos•Total 43 minutes
Understanding Cash Flow•5 minutes
Maximizing Your Cash Flow•7 minutes
Cash Flow Changes in Different Life Stages•3 minutes
Managing Uneven Cash Flow•4 minutes
Ways to Determine Your Cash Flow•2 minutes
Types of Taxes•5 minutes
How Income Tax Withholding Works•4 minutes
Understanding Your Key Tax Numbers•6 minutes
Preparing to File Your Taxes•3 minutes
Taxes - DIY vs. Hiring a Pro•4 minutes
12 readings•Total 80 minutes
What is Disposable Income?•6 minutes
How to Improve Personal Cash Flow•6 minutes
7 Life Events You Should Financially Prepare For•7 minutes
Activity - Calculate Your Monthly Cash Flow•10 minutes
Understanding Different Personal Finance Ratios•6 minutes
How to Evaluate Your Personal Finances•5 minutes
How Much of Your Paycheck Should You Save?•6 minutes
Why Your Debt to Income Ratio Matters•4 minutes
Activity - Calculate Your Financial Ratios•10 minutes
What Are the Different Types of Taxes?•6 minutes
What Tax Bracket Am I In?•10 minutes
How Income Tax Withholding Works•4 minutes
7 assignments•Total 55 minutes
Match Income and Expenses to Categories•3 minutes
Calculating Cash Flow •3 minutes
Ways to Determine Your Cash Flow•1 minute
Key Ratios of Your Personal Finances•6 minutes
Types of Taxes•4 minutes
Tax Concepts•8 minutes
Assessing Your Cash Flow and Taxes•30 minutes
Planning and Budgeting for Your Future
Module 4•3 hours to complete
Module details
This module will identify different budgeting strategies, financial goals, and how to ensure your money is working towards those priorities.
What's included
14 videos10 readings8 assignments
Show info about module content
14 videos•Total 77 minutes
Budgeting Basics•4 minutes
There Isn’t One RIGHT Way to Budget•5 minutes
7 Tips for Budgeting Success•5 minutes
Setting Up Your Budget Using the 50/30/20 Approach•6 minutes
Checking in on Your Budget•6 minutes
Adjusting Your Budget as Life Happens•6 minutes
Ways to Reduce Your Spending•6 minutes
Ways to Increase Your Income•7 minutes
3 Types of Financial Goals•8 minutes
6 Tips to Achieve Your Financial Goals•4 minutes
A Framework for Your Next Money Move•4 minutes
Why the Order of Your Goals Matter•5 minutes
Applying the YNMM Framework to Your Finances•6 minutes
Setting SMART Financial Goals•4 minutes
10 readings•Total 65 minutes
5 Different Types of Budgeting Methods•8 minutes
Activity - Identify Your Budgeting Approach•6 minutes
How To Make A Budget•6 minutes
Activity - Build Your Budget•10 minutes
How to Stop Spending Money: 7 Strategies to Curb Overspending•7 minutes
How to Set Money Goals•4 minutes
Smart Short Term Financial Goals to Set for Yourself•4 minutes
The Importance of Setting Your Long-Term Financial Goals•6 minutes
Activity - Identify Your Financial Goals•10 minutes
Investing vs. Saving: Finding a Balance•4 minutes
8 assignments•Total 50 minutes
Different Ways to Budget•4 minutes
Establishing a Budget•5 minutes
Maintaining and Updating Your Budget•3 minutes
Define Common Financial Goals•3 minutes
Define the YNMM Framework•2 minutes
Steps in the YNMM Process•1 minute
SMART Financial Goals•2 minutes
Planning and Budgeting for Your Future•30 minutes
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SoFi’s mission is to help people reach financial independence to realize their ambitions. And financial independence doesn’t just mean being rich - it means getting to a point where your money works for the life you want to live. Everything we do is geared toward helping our members get their money right. We’re constantly innovating and building ways to give our members what they need to make that happen.
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Learner reviews
4.6
244 reviews
5 stars
77.14%
4 stars
13.46%
3 stars
5.71%
2 stars
1.22%
1 star
2.44%
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S
ST
5·
Reviewed on Feb 14, 2022
Easy to understand and broken down into smaller sections so it's not overwhelming.
E
EO
5·
Reviewed on Sep 28, 2021
Great overview amd first look into personal fiance. If you already know a little bit about personal finance it may be a little basic but overall a very well rounded valuable course.
P
PA
5·
Reviewed on Oct 12, 2021
This is a great introduction course on personal finance for everyone.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.