Personal Finance
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Personal Finance

Achieving your financial goals

About the Book

This textbook is an excellent resource for anyone looking to gain a better understanding of personal finance. It provides comprehensive coverage of the subject, applying practical approaches and strategies to help readers make informed financial decisions. The book presents a clear, step-by-step guide on how to manage one’s finances and build a secure financial future. It focuses on topics such as budgeting, savings, debt management, insurance, investments, and retirement planning. This textbook is sure to become a valuable addition to any library devoted to personal finance.

About the Author

Jason Anderson
Jason Anderson

Jason Anderson, MBA, MA, CPA, CFP®, is a Finance Lecturer for the School of Business at the University of Kansas. He previously worked as a College and Career Consultant (Education and Career Planner) at CommunityAmerica Credit Union, where he helped develop a first-to-market program in college and career counseling for members. These efforts culminated in what is now known as CollegeRoadmap, a suite of digital college planning tools now licensed to financial institutions nationwide. He has multiple years’ experience as an administrator and adjunct professor in higher education across University functions leading significant campus center operations and outreach. He also runs a college and student loan planning firm called Gradmetrics.

Table of Contents

    • Book License
    • Why I Wrote this Textbook
    • About the Author
    • Chapter 1 - A Short Introduction to Personal Finance
      • What is personal finance?
      • Why is personal finance important?
      • The importance of starting early
      • Setting financial goals
      • Topics covered in this textbook
      • A note regarding length
    • Chapter 2 - Budgeting and Cash Flow
      • What is budgeting?
      • How do you create a budget?
      • Popular budgeting philosophies
      • Popular budgeting tools
      • Personal financial statements
      • Who can create personal financial statements?
      • What is cash flow?
      • Why it is important to be cash flow positive
      • Needs vs. wants
      • Conclusion
    • Chapter 3 - Financial Institutions and Regulators
      • Banking
      • Investment and insurance companies
      • Broker-dealers and Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs)
      • Tax preparers and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
      • Regulators
      • Consumer protection entities
      • Credit bureaus
    • Chapter 4 - Credit
      • What is credit?
      • Should I utilize some forms of credit instead of others?
      • Why do banks, landlords, and companies care about credit scores and/or reports?
      • What is a credit report?
      • How often should I check my credit report?
      • The Three Credit Bureaus
      • Reviewing your credit reports regularly (annually)
      • The making of a credit score
      • How do I get a high credit score?
      • Why is a high credit score important?
      • Fraud and your credit report
      • Bankruptcy and default
    • Chapter 5 - Federal Income Taxes
      • Where to go for information
      • Does everyone need to file federal income taxes?
      • Important federal income tax forms
      • Withholding taxes (Form W-4) and estimated taxes
      • The structure of Form 1040
      • Standard deduction vs. itemized deduction
      • Where to go to get your taxes filed
      • Working with a tax professional
      • When are taxes due?
      • A comprehensive resource for filing individual income taxes
      • A brief discussion of paying taxes for a business
      • Where to go for help
      • State and local income taxes
    • Chapter 6 - Purchasing and Spending
      • Spending basics (a review)
      • Smart spending strategies
      • Couponing
      • Buying in bulk
      • Choosing the right grocery store
      • Buying used versus new
      • Using discount services
      • Comparison shopping
      • A positive spending philosophy to consider
      • Parting words on spending
    • Chapter 7 - Housing Decision (Rent vs. Buy)
      • Should I rent?
      • Should I buy a house?
      • Rent vs. buy summary
      • Saving for a down payment on a home
      • What is a reasonable down payment?
      • How much should I spend on housing?
      • How the mortgage process works
      • Common mortgage types
      • What you qualify to buy vs. what you should buy
      • The most affordable places to buy a home
      • Is a house a store of value?
      • A house can help you retire
    • Chapter 8 - Insurance
      • Insurance is all about managing risk
      • What is a deductible?
      • Personal Insurance
      • Auto insurance
      • Renters insurance
      • Homeowners insurance
      • Umbrella insurance
      • Disability insurance
      • Health insurance
      • Life insurance
      • What is an annuity?
      • Business insurance
    • Chapter 9 - The Time Value of Money (TVM)
      • Chapter licensing information and attribution
      • A gentle introduction to the Time Value of Money
      • How and why the passage of time affects the value of money
      • The lump sum payment or receipt
      • Single-period scenario
      • The impact of compounding
      • Putting this knowledge into practice
      • More resources on TVM calculations
      • Inflation
      • Compounding interest
      • The Rule of 72
      • Investing and risk
    • Chapter 10 - The Economy and Stock Market
      • What is an economy?
      • What is supply and demand?
      • Why does an investor need to understand the economy?
      • Tracking economic indicators
      • The stock market
      • What the stock market is not
      • Why people invest in stocks
      • What stock markets are in the United States?
      • Proceeding with humility and a desire to learn
    • Chapter 11 - Investing and the Personal Risk Profile
      • Risk management and personal risk profile
      • What is investing?
      • Types of investments - stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and more
      • Benefits of investing
      • Investment strategies
      • Important investment terms
      • Steps to smart investing
      • Investing resources and getting additional help with investing
      • Conclusion
    • Chapter 12 - Retirement and Estate Planning
      • Retirement planning four steps
      • Saving for retirement
      • Social Security in the United States
      • Popular retirement savings vehicles
      • Working with a financial professional to plan retirement
      • What is an estate plan?
      • The essential estate planning documents
      • What is a beneficiary?
      • What is probate?
      • What is a trust?
      • Who you should work with to build an estate plan
    • Chapter 13 - Career Planning
      • Personality and career choice
      • Uncovering your MBTI®
      • Taking the Holland Codes quiz
      • Taking the next step
      • Digging deeper - CliftonStrengths®
      • Reflecting on the past
      • Gaining practical work experience
      • Will your career have a return on investment?
      • How to check the ROI of a career
      • Using the university career center

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