Do you ever wish you had an opportunity to take a personal finance course in high school or college? Well, thanks to the University of California, Irvine they are providing that opportunity at no cost. They have put together a fairly comprehensive online course that takes you through major personal finance issues and exercises to help you learn more about finance and apply them to your personal life. Here is what they have to say about the program:
In general, committing yourself to the entire course probably involves 25 to 30 hours of effort. There is, of course, no requirement to do the full course. There are no tests; there is no certificate to be earned. The results are what you make them. We hope that you find the information to be helpful.
I have gone through a few of the modules and there is some good information in there. There are even downloadable items such as net worth worksheets and items to help you create a budget. I think this is a great resource for those looking for a good primer course or even a bit of a refresher course on the overall topics that make up personal finance.
Access the Fundamentals of Personal Finance Online Course
I’ve also provided the outline of the course so you can see what types of information will be covered.
General Course Information
- Read First: Course Introduction
Module 1: Your Financial Goals
- Introduction: Goals
- Determining Goals
- Changing Words Into Numbers
- Doing the Math
- Preparing to Plan
Module 2: Figuring Out Where You Are
- Introduction
- Creating a Net Worth Statement
- Creating a Cash Flow Statement
Module 3: Taxation
- Taxation
Module 4: Defense – Keeping Bad Things From Interrupting Your Goals
- Introduction
- Property & Casualty Insurance
- Life & Disability Insurance
- Long-Term Care Insurance
Module 5: Investing
- Investment Basics
Module 6: Funding Retirement
- Introduction
- Social Security & Retirement
- Retirement Plans
- Medical Care in Retirement
- Calculating Retirement Needs
Module 7: Funding Education
- College Planning
Module 8: Estate Planning
- Estate Planning Basics
Author: Jeremy Vohwinkle
My name is Jeremy Vohwinkle, and I’ve spent a number of years working in the finance industry providing financial advice to regular investors and those participating in employer-sponsored retirement plans.