Financial Literacy

Content/Topics/Learning Goals

Subject to Pacing and Schedules

1st Quarter- 

• Overview of Personal Finance

  • Define personal finance

  • Analyze the benefits of good financial decision-making

  • Examine goals for which people make financial plans

• The Financial Plan

  • Describe the purpose of a financial plan

  • Identify the key components of a financial plan

• Financial Decision-Making

  • Differentiate between cash inflow and cash outflow

  • Explain the steps in financial decision-making

• Budgets and Balance Sheets

  • Explain the steps involved in creating a budget

  • Describe the steps involved in creating a personal balance sheet

  • Understand the importance of budgeting in your financial plan

• Careers and College Readiness

  • Explain the process for choosing a career path

  • Identify different sources of information for researching careers

  • Discuss how one can gain the skills needed for a career choice

  • Describe the process of applying for a job

  • Describe the interview process

• Paying Taxes

  • Describe the basic principles of taxation and the major categories of taxes

  • Explain payroll taxes

  • Discuss the purpose and process of filing tax returns

  • Understand how taxes affect your financial plan

2nd Quarter- 

• Insuring Your Health and Your Life

  • Explain why health insurance is important

  • Describe different features of health insurance

  • Understand the need for life insurance

  • Discuss the ways people obtain insurance

• Obtaining and Protecting Your Credit

  • Explain the concept of consumer credit, including the major types and their benefits and drawbacks

  • Describe the keys to building and maintaining healthy credit

  • Identify methods of protecting your identity

• Personal Loans and Purchasing Decisions

  • Describe the key features and qualities of personal loans

  • Discuss the unique issues and challenges of financing an education

  • Discuss the unique issues and challenges of financing a car

• Credit Cards and Other Forms of Credit

  • Explain how credit cards work

  • Describe different credit card features

  • Discuss how to use a credit card correctly

  • Identify other risky credit arrangements

• Purchasing and Financing a Home

  • Describe the factors that determine how much you can afford to pay for a home

  • Explain how to select a home to purchase

  • Describe the transaction costs associated with buying a home

  • Describe the different types of mortgages

  • Compare the costs of renting versus buying a home

• Banking Procedures and Services

  • Explain the difference between different types of financial institutions

  • Learn the basics of having a checking account, including how to balance an account

  • Identify other available banking services

  • Describe the two major federal insurers

  • Explain the function and goals of the Federal Reserve

• Methods of Saving

  • Explore the ways in which savings can earn interest

  • Examine the different types of bank accounts that can aid in saving

  • Describe retirement savings options

• Investing Fundamentals

  • Understand the reasons for investing

  • Identify investment choices

  • Explore other options for investing

3rd Quarter- 

4th Quarter -