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REALLIFE Program

This page will provide you with a brief summary of each topic to get a feel of what we are teaching. Each chapter will come with study guides, quizzes, and PowerPoints.

iphone

1: Social Media

Make sure you are proud of the personal information that you are showing the world on your social media pages! They are like a resume or college application that everyone can see.

​    1. Password protection tips

    2. Do's and Don'ts of social media

    3. How to use the Internet in a job search

    4. Tips on how to interview virtually for a job

Resume

2: Resume

The resume is the first impression you give to employers, so it is VERY important that it exemplifies the best version of you!

    1. What is in an excellent cover letter

    2. Advertise yourself with a resume

    3. Preparing for an interview

    4. How to nail the interview

Flexible Payment Planning

3: W-4 & Paperwork

Once you get the job, the next step is paperwork! Make sure you know how to sign up for all of the company benefits you deserve!

    1. What is a W-4 form?

    2. Gross vs net income

    3. FICA, state taxes, and other deductions

    4. How do I get paid?

Credit Card Purchase

4: Banking and Savings

​You received your first paycheck, where can you stash your cash? 

      1. What are checking and savings accounts?

      2. Best strategies to save money 

      3. How to keep track of savings

      4. CDs, debit/ATM cards, overdraft, and PINs

      5. Electronic banking

      6. Bitcoin: Introducing cryptocurrencies

Stethoscope on the Cardiogram

5: Work Perk #1 Health Insurance

Learn about one of THE most important benefits an employer can offer! It can save you a lot of money on doctor visits and medication!

    1. What is health insurance?

    2. Choosing the best health insurance

    3. Premiums, co-pays and deductibles

    4. High deductible vs low deductible plans

    5. HMOs, PPOs, HSAs, and FSAs

Kayak Front

6: Work Perk #2: Vacay & Sick Days

Some companies provide more perks than just health insurance. Be sure to sign up for everything that is available!

    1. Vacation days, paid time off, and sick days

    2. Childcare benefits

    3. Short and long-term disability

    4. Student loan repayment & tuition reimbursement

    5. Cafeteria & gym plans

Senior couple hugging

7: Work Perk #3: Retirement Benefits

Keep your eye on the prize: Save money today so you can retire in the future.

    1. The importance of saving early

    2. The power of compounding

    3. 401Ks, pension plans, and Social Security

    4. Taxable vs tax-deferred vs tax-free investing

    5. IRA and Roth IRA

Calculate Savings

8: Savings Pyramid 

Use our Savings Pyramid to help you set savings goals, determine how much to save, and where to invest wisely.

    1. Creating an emergency fund

    2. Essential vs discretionary expenses

    3. Crafting a budget

    4. Long-term vs short-term goals

    5. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs

Stocks

9: Stocks

Owning shares in a company can be a great way to grow your money faster!

    1. Bull and bear markets

    2. Ways to compare stocks

    3. S&P 500, DJIA, NYSE, NASDAQ

    4. How to buy a stock

    5. Capital appreciation, dividends, P/E Ratio

    6. Shareholder voting rights

Image by Austin Distel

10: Bonds

Bonds may be more boring than stocks, but they serve a purpose in portfolios.   

    1. Why buy bonds?

    2. How bonds work

    3. Interest, maturity date, coupon, and yield

    4. Taxable, tax-free, and tax-equivalent yield

    5. What makes bond prices move

Image by Firmbee.com

11: Mutual Funds & ETFs

Mutual Funds and ETFs are the easiest ways for small investors to get started.

    1. How mutual funds and ETFs work

    2. Diversification and asset classes

    3. Understanding fund expenses

    4. Where to research mutual funds

Online Shopping

12: Loans & Credit Score

Understand how credit cards and loans work to make sure you don’t borrow more than you can afford to repay!

    1. Fixed- vs floating-rate loans

    2. Term loans vs. revolving loans

    3. Determining your credit score

    4. How credit scores affect loan interest rates

    5. Landlords and employers use credit scores

    6. Credit cards, mortgages, car loans, student loans

College Lecture

13: Student Loans

Student loans can help you pay for college, but make sure they don’t leave you struggling to repay debt for many years.

    1. Keeping college costs down

    2. The FAFSA form

    3. Where to borrow student loans

    4. Different payment plans

    5. Strategies for repaying multiple loans

    6. How to get out of debt faster

Coding

14: ID Theft

Anyone who gets their hands on your social security number and birth date can steal your identity in the blink of an eye!

    1. Protecting passwords

    2. Phishing

    3. Two-step authentication

    4. How to know if your identity has been stolen

    5. Where to turn if ID theft occurs

Men with Calculator

15: Taxes

Filing taxes is part of REALLIFE, too. Learn the basics here and you will find it's not as scary as you think!

    1. Basic terminology

    2. Do you have to file?

    3. Should you file anyway to get money back?

    4. Understanding Standard Deduction vs Itemizing

    5. Difference between Flat tax, Progressive

        and excise taxes

    6. Tax Chart and tax rates vs blended tax rate

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