Author Archives: Melissa Hart

Apr 2 2016

Want to save money on gas?

Gas prices have been low for a few years but, it is always good to save a few more dollars!

What if you are in a new city?  Gas prices can vary by 10-15 cents per gallon in a matter of a few blocks.  How would you know where to find the cheapest gas?  Good news!  The GasBuddy app can help you find the best prices on the go.

Use this article to help you save gas money near home or away.

Did you know that you can?

  1. Use apps to find the best prices no matter where you are.
  2. Get cheaper gas by buying at certain times of day.
  3. Improve your driving and save gas money.
  4. Maintain your vehicle and save gas money.
  5. Get more rewards with your gas prices.

Teaching Suggestions

You may want to use the information in this blog post and the original article to

  • Stress the importance of saving small and large amounts of money.
  • Calculate the miles a sample of students have driven in the past year and multiply by varying amounts saved (5-15 cents per gallon) to demonstrate the dollar savings potential.

 

 

Discussion Questions

  1. How important is choosing a car with good gas mileage?
  2. Ask how many students use these techniques.  Allow them to share their stories as well as any other techniques to save gas money.
  3. Discuss the pros and cons between gas powered, hybrid, and electric vehicles.
Mar 26 2016

Home Mortgage Calculator

“Finally, simple mortgage calculators that anyone can use.”

The mortgage calculators on this website can help home buyers estimate how much their monthly payments will be when they purchase a home.  To use the calculator, enter the following information and then click “Calculate.”  It’s that simple.

  • Home Value
  • Loan Amount
  • Interest Rate
  • Loan Start Date
  • A Percentage for Property Tax
  • A Percentage for Private Mortgage Insurance

In addition, there is information to help homebuyers compare a 30-year and a 15-year mortgage, make a rent or buy decision, and valuable information about other home purchase decisions.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

You may want to use the information in this blog post and the original article to

  • Stress the importance of finding the right mortgage when purchasing a home.
  • Calculate monthly home mortgage payments when different interest rates are chosen.
  • Illustrate the difference for the total repayment amount and monthly payment amount when the home buyer chooses a 15 year or 30 year mortgage.

Discussion Questions

  1. How important is choosing the right mortgage when you buy a home?
  2. Using the mortgage calculator at http://www.mortgagecalculator.org, determine the monthly payment for a 30-year loan for $180,000 if the interest rate is 5 percent. Assume the home purchase price is $210,000, property tax is 1.5 percent, and the PMI is 0.5 percent.
  3. What is the monthly payment for the above loan if the interest rate decreases to 4 percent? Over the 30-year period, how much did you save if the interest rate is 4 percent compared to 5 percent?
Mar 19 2016

6 Ways Men and Women Differ When It Comes to Money

“The differences between men and women have taken on increased importance in today’s conversations about American culture . . .”

Based on information from the Census Bureau, financial institutions, and a credit score company, this article by describes the following six ways that men and women differ when it comes to money.

  1. Men make more for the same work.
  2. Women are better at managing personal debt.
  3. Men pay off their student debt faster.
  4. Men save more in their “rainy day” funds.
  5. Women use sounder strategies, but with less confidence.
  6. Men save more for retirement.

More information about each of the above statements including statistics is provided in the article.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

You may want to use the information in this blog post and the original article to

  • Discuss the specific differences cited in this article in more detail.
  • Create examples of how men and women can use this information to improve their long-term financial security.

Discussion Questions

  1. Based on U.S. census data, women make about 79 percent of what men do for the same work. If you were a woman in this situation, what could you do to increase your salary?
  2. According to this article, women are better at managing personal debt than men. How can the decision to pay off personal debt impact a person’s ability to establish a financial plan, buy a home, or invest?
  3. Pick one of the areas where men are weaker and one of the areas where women are weaker. Describe how you would improve on this factor for a man or a woman.
Mar 12 2016

Investors Eye Trump Card’s Election Impact

“The presidential election is eight months away but ‘political risk’ is already being felt on Wall Street, as money and politics collide in a flurry. . .”

In this article, Adam Shell describes how the circus-like 2016 presidential race is creating uncertainty on Wall Street.  This uncertainty centers on the candidates and how they promise to deal with select industries, trade, tax policy, and globalization.

For example, many of Donald Trump’s campaign speeches are protectionist in nature and some on Wall Street worry that Trump will build a wall around the United States choking off globalization and world trade.

For Wall Street, Hilary Clinton is also problematic.  She has been a vocal critic of the pricing practices of the pharmaceutical industry.  She is also a proponent for more regulation on the financial industry and has suggested that banks involved in speculative investments should pay a “risk fee.”

As the campaigns develops between establishment and anti-establishment  candidates, it should be an interesting run up to the November elections that could impact Wall Street and investors.

For more information, click here.  

Teaching Suggestions                           

  • You may want to use the information in this blog post and the original article to stress how politics, the financial industry, and investing are intertwined.

Discussion Questions

  1. How do you think the uncertainty associated with this presidential election affects the financial markets and investing?
  2. Why could protectionism hurt the U.S. economy and Wall Street investors?
  3. Is globalization good for the U.S. economy? Is it good for investors?
Feb 27 2016

Newcomer Money Guides

While beneficiary, collateral, and fair market value are familiar to many, these terms can be especially confusing to those with limited English-language skills. In an attempt to assist various people, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has created the Newcomer’s Guides to Managing Money to provide recent immigrants with information about basic money decisions.  These guides offer brief suggestions to those who are new to the U.S. banking system.  The guides also include guidance for submitting and resolving problems with a financial product or service.

The Newcomer Guides include these topics:

  • Ways to receive your money, comparing cash, check, direct deposit, and debit cards.
  • Checklist for opening an account, to assist with starting a bank or credit union account.
  • Ways to pay your bills, providing guidance on whether to pay by check, debit card, credit card, or online.
  • Selecting financial products and services, providing assistance on deciding which financial services are right for various household situations.

Print copies of the guides can be ordered or downloaded. These publications are available to English and Spanish with additional languages to be offered in the future.

For additional information on money guides for newcomers:

Article #1
Article #2
Article #3

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students ask people to create a list of financial planning terms that people find confusing.
  • Have students suggest methods to have people learn about confusing financial planning terms.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What financial problems might be encountered by people with limited English-language skills?
  2. What actions might be taken to assist various groups to better understand banking services and money management activities?
Feb 20 2016

Successful Financial Goals

Financial goals are communicated in many formats, and are good to have. However, too often, a goal is lacking the “why.”  While various financial planning actions are beneficial, quite often, little thought is given to the motivation behind a certain goal. Without this “why,” minimal internal motivation is likely to be present to see a goal to completion. The “why” of a financial goal will help you persevere when encountering challenges that could derail your achievement of a goal.

Not being able to answer the “why” may indicate that the goal is not worth your efforts. The “why” will also assure that a goal provides a higher level of satisfaction when it is achieved.  The process may require a series of “why” questions as you respond to the initial “why.”

Instead of being an afterthought, the “why” of your financial goals should be a driving force in creating and achieving these personal economic objectives. Be able to decide if a goal is a result of advertising, societal influences, or reflective thought about your personal financial situation. This action should result in meaningful goals rather than just efforts to accumulate more money or more stuff.

For additional information on financial goals, click here.

 

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students talk to people to create examples of financial goals.
  • Have students ask a series of “why” questions to help other people to better focus their personal financial goals.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What are common motivations that influence personal financial goals?
  2. How might a person better understand the motivation behind personal financial goals?
Feb 13 2016

Robo Investment Advice

Automated investment services are expanding.  Many financial service companies are offering “robo advice,” in which investors complete an online questionnaire and a computer program generates and monitors a portfolio of funds.  Robo-advisers are also designed to automatically rebalance a portfolio based on changes in the market as well as any changes in the amounts allocated to certain investments.

With many investors already making their own trades online, investment companies believe that robo advisors have these additional benefits:

  • lower costs for obtaining advice and conducting transactions.
  • an ability to adjust the portfolio for tax purposes by selling shares that have declined to offset gains.
  • an easier investment approach for younger clients with less-complicated financial lives.

 

Some will be concerned about automated portfolio management.  Human advisors will still be available to address issues about mortgages, insurance, estate planning, retirement income, and other topics that robo-advisers are not yet equipped to answer.

For additional information on robo advice, click on the following articles:

Article #1
Article #2
Article #3

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students ask people to describe the process they use to select investments.
  • Have students create a framework to analyze when using robo advice might be appropriate for an investor.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What are benefits and drawbacks of robo advice?
  2. What factors might be considered when using robo advice for investment decisions?

 

Feb 6 2016

The Gig Economy

Online selling, personal taxi services such as Uber, and renting a spare room to tourists, are examples of an increasing number of people generating or supplementing their incomes by trading goods and services online.  This trend is often replacing traditional employment.

Measurement of the “gig economy” (working outside a formal work environment with temporary, short-term employment by independent workers) is difficult.  Many situations are not reported in current labor statistics. In recent years, the fastest growth for self-employed workers has been in hairdressing, cleaning, and management consulting. While these services may be in the gig economy, this trend may also indicate growing formal self-employment in these fields.

Gig economy activities may start as temporary work due to a lay-off or a need to supplement household income. However, as time goes by, these self-employment positions can become a person’s ongoing employment status.

For additional information on the gig economy, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students describe examples of the “gig economy.”
  • Have students explain the “gig economy” to others (including different generations) and get their reactions.

Discussion Questions

  1. What factors influenced the development of the gig economy?
  2. How might the gig economy affect a person’s financial planning activities?
Jan 30 2016

Beware of IRS Imposters

You get a call from a scammer pretending to be with the IRS, threatening you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay taxes you owe right now.  You’re told to wire the money or put it on a prepaid debit card.  The scammer might threaten to deport you or say you’ll lose your driver’s license.  Some scammers even know your Social Security number, and they fake caller ID so you think it really is the IRS calling.  But it’s all a lie.  If you send the money, it’s gone.

The Federal Trade Commission advises that if you get illegal sales calls, robocalls, or fake IRS calls, it’s best to ignore them.  Don’t interact in any way.  Don’t press buttons to be taken off the call list or talk to a live person or call back.  When you have a tax problem, the IRS will first contact you by mail.  The IRS won’t ask you to wire money, pay with a prepaid debit card, or share your credit card information over the phone.  If you get fake calls, file a complaint with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at tigta.gov. You also can file a complaint with the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.  If you’re concerned there’s a real tax problem, call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  1. Ask students to make a list of steps that taxpayers can take to protect themselves from tax scammers.
  2. Why do scammers prey on the most vulnerable people, such as the elderly, newly arrived immigrants and those whose first language is not English?

Discussion Questions

  1. What can the IRS and other governmental agencies do to catch and punish criminals impersonating IRS agents?
  2. How can taxpayers protect themselves from scam artists?
  3. What should you do if you believe you owe federal income taxes?
Jan 23 2016

Reporting Changes to Social Security is Your Responsibility

If you receive benefits from Social Security, you have a legal obligation to report changes, which could affect your eligibility for disability, retirement, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.  You must report any changes that may affect your benefits immediately, no later than 10 days after the end of the month in which the change occurred.  Changes you need to report range from a change of address to traveling outside the United States for 30 consecutive days.

Life changes affect your benefits.  You may be due additional payments, or you may be overpaid and have to pay Social Security back because you didn’t report the overpayment promptly. The SSI program may apply a penalty that will reduce your benefits if you fail to report a change, or if you reported the change later than 10 days after the end of the month in which the change occurred.  If you fail to report changes promptly, or if you intentionally make a false statement, Social Security may stop your SSI, disability, and retirement benefits.  Social Security may also impose a sanction against your payments.  The first sanction is a loss of all payments for six months.  Subsequent sanctions are for 12 and 24 months.

Report your change online at www.socialsecurity.gov, or by calling toll free at 1-800-772-1213.  If you are deaf or hearing impaired call TTY 1-800-325-0778.  Mail the information to your Social Security office or deliver in person.  If you receive benefits and need to change your address or direct deposit, create a Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

For more information click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Ask students to visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov and to create their own online Social Security account. There is no fee to create a “my Social Security” account, but students must have a valid e-mail address.
  • Ask students to sign into their “my Social Security” account and obtain their benefit verification letter.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why is it important to report life changes to Social Security if you receive any benefits from Social Security?
  2. What are the consequences if you fail to report changes promptly?

What are several ways you can report the life changes to Social Security Administration?