Personal Finance

Indiana University via edX Professional Certificate

Overview

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

Syllabus

Courses under this program:
Course 1: Introduction to Personal Financial Planning

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.

Course 2: Managing Personal Cash and Credit

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.

Course 3: Planning for Risk and Retirement

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.

Courses

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4 weeks, 4-6 hours a week, 4-6 hours a week
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Introduction to Personal Financial Planning is made possible by the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation.

The Introduction to Personal Financial Planning course 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 with pervasive cost due to financial mistakes. 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.

In this course, you’ll gain the basic building blocks of financial literacy to build a secure foundation for your future.

This fast-paced course prepares you to:
- Build a financial plan through a step-by-step approach designed to meet your personal financial objectives
- Understand financial planning essentials including income statements, balance sheets, and budgets
- Recognize how planning and timing impact your personal wealth over a lifetime
- Go deeper into your understanding of taxes and how tax decisions impact your wealth
- Identify obstacles to sound financial decisions, including common cognitive errors and confirmation biases
- Discover valuable resources including personal financial planners
- Explore the scope and purpose of personal finance and its role in the broader spectrum of financial knowledge
- Appreciate how positive reinforcement and research-based evidence impact your financial goals
Build your money management skills through course videos, selected short readings, and self-paced activities. You’ll gain practical skills, understand the core concepts of financial planning, and achieve a broader understanding of how personal financial planning contributes to a successful and fulfilling life.

Improve your financial situation, net worth, and retirement plan by registering for the Personal Finance Program.
0 reviews
4 weeks, 4-6 hours a week, 4-6 hours a week
View details
Managing Personal Cash and Credit is made possible by the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation.

The Managing Personal Cash & Credit course 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 with pervasive cost due to financial mistakes. 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. In this course, you’ll explore how the use of cash and credit impact your financial situation.

This fast-paced course prepares you to:
- Understand liquid assets and the financial institutions we use for our day-to-day cash management needs
- Review types of cash management products available and their relative pros and cons
- Explore options for online banking, checking accounts, and savings opportunities
- Establish credit and use it to your advantage
- Evaluate credit card options in the marketplace and make sense of complex data provided on your credit card statement
- Learn about revolving credit and the options available for those need it
- Impact your credit score to achieve financial and personal goals
- Review secured credit and specialized applications for auto loans, mortgages and home equity loans
- Make secure financial decisions regarding leasing, buying, and refinancing
Through course videos, selected short readings and self-paced activities, students will gain both practical knowledge of core concepts of cash and credit, and achieve a broader view of how personal managing personal cash and credit contribute to a successful and fulfilling life.

Improve your cash flow, credit score, and banking services by registering for this course.
0 reviews
4 weeks, 4-6 hours a week, 4-6 hours a week
View details
Planning for Risk, Retirement and Investment is made possible by the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation.

The Planning for Risk, Retirement & Investment course 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 with pervasive cost due to financial mistakes. 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.

This course dives deeply into issues and decisions that impact your financial future. You’ll explore strategies around controlling and managing risk, planning for retirement, and cultivating an investment mindset. Through a hands-on approach, you’ll gain answers to common personal financial questions including:
- What exactly is risk, and why should I care about it?
- What are the core concepts and principles of insurance?
- How do insurance companies help consumers manage risk?
- Do I need to buy life insurance and how much?
- What are my family’s needs for security from loss of life and property?
- What are my options for life insurance?
- What are good decisions that both save money and protect me from reasonable risks?
- Do I need full coverage auto insurance, or can I save money with liability insurance?
- How much money do I need in retirement, and how do I determine my needs?
- Where can I look for sources of income in retirement?
- Am I ready both financially and philosophically to be an investor?
- What are the risks of investing, and am I ready to accept them?
- How do I allocate my investments depending upon the stage of my life?
Through course videos, selected short readings, and self-paced activities, students in this course will gain both practical knowledge of core concepts of risk, retirement, and investment, and a broader view of the role of planning plays in our quest for financial and personal satisfaction.