This course is part of the The Fundamentals of Personal Finance Specialization

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Brian Walsh +1 more instructor

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Offered By

The Fundamentals of Personal Finance SpecializationSoFi

About this Course

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This course is a general overview of a variety of personal finance topics - including budgeting, the importance of your credit score, cash flow, setting financial goals, and taxes.  Taught by two CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professionals, the concepts are broken down through videos, readings, and activities so you can apply what you are learning in real time. The course provides the foundation to build on for the rest of The Fundamentals of Personal Finance Specialization or as a standalone survey course to improve your understanding of basic personal finance terminology, as well as how they apply to your own financial situation. 
Whether you are just starting college, nearing retirement, or somewhere in between, this course will provide you with the knowledge to understand your money and actionable steps to manage your finances in the future. This course is geared towards learners in the United States of America.

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Course 1 of 5 in the

The Fundamentals of Personal Finance Specialization

Beginner Level

This course is for anyone with a desire to understand your current financial situation and learn the steps to reach your future financial goals.

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

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Skills you will gain

Financial Planning (Business)
Credit Score
Taxes
goal setting
Budget

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 1 of 5 in the

The Fundamentals of Personal Finance Specialization

Beginner Level

This course is for anyone with a desire to understand your current financial situation and learn the steps to reach your future financial goals.

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.87/5 (46 Ratings)

Brian Walsh

Senior Manager, Financial Planner

12,887 Learners

3 Courses

Lauren Anastasio

Senior Financial Planner

15,174 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

SoFi

SoFi’s mission is to help people reach financial independence to realize their ambitions. And financial independence doesn’t just mean being rich - it means getting to a point where your money works for the life you want to live. Everything we do is geared toward helping our members get their money right. We’re constantly innovating and building ways to give our members what they need to make that happen.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Approaching Your Finances with Purpose

3 hours to complete

16 videos (Total 70 min), 8 readings, 6 quizzes

16 videos

Course Introduction6m

The Basics of Financial Planning5m

Life Cycle of Financial Planning3m

Financial Planning in 6 Steps5m

Understand the Human Side of Personal Finances4m

Deep Dive into Personality 1 - Money Worship4m

Deep Dive into Personality 2 - Money Avoidance3m

Deep Dive into Personality 3 - Money Vigilance4m

Deep Dive into Personality 4 - Money Status4m

Managing Finances with a Partner – Where to Start4m

Managing Finances with a Partner – Joint Accounts, Separate Accounts or Some of Both?4m

Working with Your Partner on Finances2m

Understanding and Overcoming Loss Aversion4m

Understanding and Overcoming Hindsight Bias3m

Understanding and Overcoming Confirmation Bias3m

Understanding and Overcoming Reference Bias4m

8 readings

About Your Instructors1m

Activity - Financial Knowledge12m

Activity - Identify Interests, Fears, and Questions6m

Tips for Creating a Financial Plan5m

How to Plan for Your Future7m

Overview of Money Personalities10m

Activity-Take Your Money Personality Assessment (KSMI)10m

What is Behavioral Finance?5m

6 practice exercises

An Introduction to Financial Planning4m

The Financial Planning Process2m

Common Money Personalities Assessment5m

Roles and Responsibility5m

Behavioral Bias10m

Approaching Your Finances with Purpose30m

Week

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Understanding Your Net Worth and Credit Score

3 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 64 min), 7 readings, 7 quizzes

13 videos

What is Net Worth and Why Does it Matter?3m

Types of Assets - Understanding What You Own4m

Measuring and Assessing Your Liquidity3m

Types of Debt - Understanding What You Owe5m

Using Relay to Understand What You Own and Owe3m

What is a Credit Score and Why Does It Matter?4m

Who Determines Your Credit Score?4m

Key Components of Your Credit Score7m

What’s Your Credit Score?4m

How to Request and Review Your Credit Report4m

How to Improve Your Credit Score7m

9 Most Common Credit Score Mistakes4m

Protecting Your Credit4m

7 readings

What is an Asset?7m

What Are the Different Types of Debt?6m

Activity - Determine Your Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth 10m

What is a FICO Score?5m

Activity - Obtain and Assess Your Credit Score 8m

Activity - Obtain Your Credit Report8m

How to Build Credit Over Time5m

7 practice exercises

Matching Assets to Categories3m

Matching Liabilities to Categories3m

The Ins and Outs of Credit Scores3m

The Components of Your Credit Score3m

Checking In on Your Credit Score3m

Improving Your Credit Score Over Time4m

Understanding Your Net Worth and Credit Score30m

Week

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Assessing Your Cash Flow and Taxes

3 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 49 min), 11 readings, 7 quizzes

11 videos

Understanding Cash Flow4m

Maximizing Your Cash Flow6m

Cash Flow Changes in Different Life Stages3m

Managing Uneven Cash Flow3m

Ways to Determine Your Cash Flow2m

Types of Taxes5m

How Income Tax Withholding Works4m

Understanding Your Key Tax Numbers5m

How Income Tax Brackets Work5m

Preparing to File Your Taxes3m

Taxes - DIY vs. Hiring a Pro3m

11 readings

What is Disposable Income?6m

How to Improve Personal Cash Flow6m

7 Life Events You Should Financially Prepare For7m

Activity - Calculate Your Monthly Cash Flow10m

Understanding Different Personal Finance Ratios6m

How to Evaluate Your Personal Finances5m

How Much of Your Paycheck Should You Save?6m

Why Your Debt to Income Ratio Matters4m

Activity - Calculate Your Financial Ratios10m

What Are the Different Types of Taxes?6m

How Income Tax Withholding Works4m

7 practice exercises

Match Income and Expenses to Categories3m

Calculating Cash Flow 3m

Ways to Determine Your Cash Flow1m

Key Ratios of Your Personal Finances6m

Types of Taxes4m

Tax Concepts8m

Assessing Your Cash Flow and Taxes30m

Week

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Planning and Budgeting for Your Future

3 hours to complete

14 videos (Total 78 min), 10 readings, 8 quizzes

14 videos

Budgeting Basics4m

There Isn’t One RIGHT Way to Budget5m

7 Tips for Budgeting Success5m

Setting Up Your Budget Using the 50/30/20 Approach6m

Checking in on Your Budget5m

Adjusting Your Budget as Life Happens6m

Ways to Reduce Your Spending6m

Ways to Increase Your Income6m

3 Types of Financial Goals8m

6 Tips to Achieve Your Financial Goals4m

A Framework for Your Next Money Move3m

Why the Order of Your Goals Matter4m

Applying the YNMM Framework to Your Finances6m

Setting SMART Financial Goals3m

10 readings

5 Different Types of Budgeting Methods8m

Activity - Identify Your Budgeting Approach6m

How To Make A Budget6m

Activity - Build Your Budget10m

Ways to Control Excessive Spending Habits7m

How to Set Money Goals4m

Smart Short Term Financial Goals to Set for Yourself4m

The Importance of Setting Your Long-Term Financial Goals6m

Activity - Identify Your Financial Goals10m

Investing vs. Saving: Finding a Balance4m

8 practice exercises

Different Ways to Budget4m

Establishing a Budget5m

Maintaining and Updating Your Budget3m

Define Common Financial Goals3m

Define the YNMM Framework2m

Steps in the YNMM Process1m

SMART Financial Goals2m

Planning and Budgeting for Your Future30m

Reviews

4.6

45 reviews

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3 stars
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2 stars
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1 star
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TOP REVIEWS FROM INTRODUCTION TO PERSONAL FINANCE

by KKJun 17, 2021

A very wholesome course that breaks down in simple terms; key concepts related to personal finance.

by PAOct 12, 2021

This is a great introduction course on personal finance for everyone.

by NENov 7, 2021

Very Informative. I also found the course structure to be simple and easy to follow.

by ERDec 4, 2022

I really enjoy the course, I will practice all the course to reach my financial goals.

View all reviews

About the The Fundamentals of Personal Finance Specialization

This Specialization is intended for anyone looking to take control of their finances. Through these five courses, you will cover a variety of personal finance topics, including budgets, investing, and managing risk. The readings, videos, and activities will prepare you to understand the current state of your money, as well as take actions to work toward your financial goals. This specialization is geared towards learners in the United States of America.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Introduction to Personal Finance

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