In recent years, experts have noticed a gap in the education system. Recent graduates might be ready for their chosen career path, but do they have the personal finance skills they need to thrive in adulthood?
In the US alone, only about 50% are financially literate—meaning they reasonably understand money management concepts such as budgeting, saving, and investing. With 26 states (as of August 8th, 2024) now requiring some form of personal finance class for students, the US is making strides. But there’s still a long way to go.
The good news is that there are plenty of resources out there to help build personal finance skills.
Whether you’re a teacher or administrator looking for personal finance classes to implement or you’re past school age and never received the benefit of personal finance education in your classroom, here are seven classes to consider.
Financial Literacy (Khan Academy)
Khan Academy’s online financial literacy course takes attendees through 16 modules of financial education. You’ll learn important concepts like budgeting, credit, financial goals, insurance, investments, and more.
This course is for anyone looking to learn the basics of personal finance and is free to join. It covers each topic in detail through easy-to-follow video lessons, helping people get a handle on key aspects of their financial future.
Finance for Everyone: Smart Tools for Decision Making (edX)
edX partners with educational institutions like the University of Michigan (UM) to offer personal finance classes online. In its course, MichiganX, UM faculty take attendees through smart tools for financial decision-making.
This class takes a new perspective on financial literacy and focuses on tackling the everyday financial decisions we all must make rather than covering core, theory-heavy financial concepts. The availability of this course varies based on upcoming sessions, and it is free for students to join.
Personal Finance 101 (Udemy)
Personal Finance 101 is Udemy’s curriculum for teaching the basics of everyday personal finance. The course consists of animated video modules that teach students how to file taxes, open a bank account, manage their credit cards, and more. Personal Finance 101 is free to attend and is about 3 hours long.
Money Smart for Young People (FDIC)
Money Smart for Young People is actually 4 courses in 1 that educators can use to bolster their personal finance teaching. Presented by the FDIC, this curriculum contains age-appropriate financial education tracks for four different age groups, going in-depth for a personal finance class that’s free.
Students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade can all experience financial education tailored specifically to their unique life experiences. Modules can be taught as group lessons or 1:1.
The coursework covers topics like understanding currency, earning money, setting goals, saving and spending, and borrowing and lending. This curriculum and additional resources like handouts and activity books are offered through the FDIC’s website.
Taking a personal finance class is a great way to set yourself up for the future. More schools are beginning to understand the importance of these platforms, and we are excited about the opportunities this presents to the future minds of America.
Related:
- From Lovers to Founders: The Truth About Co-owning a Business With Your Partner
- 20 Common Accounting Interview Questions and How to Prepare for Them
Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article originally appeared on Intuit.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org
