Course Descriptions
Budgeting
Creating a budget and sticking to it can seem like an impossible task. This course will provide you with the tools to set financial goals, record expenses and develop strategies to help you maintain a better budget.
Credit and Debt
This course will focus on gaining a better understanding of your credit score, the rules governing credit cards and strategies to help you manage, avoid and eliminate debt.
Educator Resources NEW!
Educator Resources is a new course presented by the Ohio Treasurer’s office designed to provide teachers with access to free resources in personal finance education. In order to assist educators in implementing the required instruction of personal finance education, material discussed will include print-based curriculum, online and classroom games. This class will also include a demonstration of an online financial education program. This is a great class for anyone who is looking to present financial education material including teachers, parents and community or faith-based organization leaders.
Investments
This session is designed for those who have had little or no investing experience or those who need a refresher course in the basics of investing. Stocks, bonds, cash, mutual funds, and other types of investments will be explained. Topics such as setting your investment goals and matching investments with your particular circumstances will be covered, as well as diversification and basic asset allocation.
Retirement Planning
The retirement planning course is designed for people seeking guidance on setting retirement goals, determining the best way to save for retirement and determining how much they will need to reach their goals. Discussions include choosing a retirement plans like 401(k) or 403(b); investing in individual retirement accounts (IRAs), including Traditional or Roth; factoring public or company pensions, as well as choosing deferred compensation. Other topics covered include adjusting a retirement portfolio, rolling over and combining retirement plans, estimating retirement cash flow and estimating the impact of working after retirement.
Shop Smart: Know Your Rights
Ohio’s consumer laws will protect you from the savviest scam artists… if only you knew what they were! The Attorney General's office receives more than 30,000 consumer complaints each year. Find out the top complaint categories, the most common consumer misconceptions, and how to protect yourself from fraud.
Social Security
This session will help you understand how Social Security benefits, coverage and eligibility fit into retirement plans. Social Security experts will cover Social Security distribution schedules, key dates to consider for those close to retirement and the relationship between state and local retirement systems and the U.S. Social Security system.
Student Funding & Debt Management
Preparing for college or higher education is a process. Making a smart money choice on how to fund your college or higher education is an important decision, which has long-term impact on your financial plan. This course will not only help provide you with knowledge to make strong funding or loan choices, but also gives you some information on how to manage student debt once you have it. Subjects addressed in this course include preparing students for college, funding for college, the source of student debt and career choice, as well as income and student loan repayment.