Resources (links)

Projects / Papers

Specific details will be presented in MyMC (where the papers will be submitted) but this is a quick overview of each paper to be completed for this class.

Paper #1 - Savings and Investment Goals - Although many of us hope to save for the future, hope does not contain a lot of specifics about how to make that savings happen. In this paper you will have a chance to identify key strategies and performance indicators to assist you in making your savings goals happen.

Paper #2 - Home Purchase Project - Buying a home is one of the most significant purchases most of us will ever make. Understanding the process and some of the likely expenses allows you to focus on the true benefits and costs of your decision. This assignment will focus on many on the steps involved in buying a home.

Paper #3 - Investment Project - Understanding how and where to invest savings is an important part of any financial plan. This assignment will allow you to explore multiple options for investments and compare costs and benefits of different options.

Paper #4 - Lifetime Investment Allocation Project - As we age, our investment goals evolve from a stronger focus on growth to a stronger focus on security. This project will give you a chance to consider an investment portfolio at four different life stages and evaluate the investment allocation at that stage.

Investment Terminology and Guidance

How to Trade Stocks is a site with a dictionary of terms used in the investment industry
The Motely Fool is an investment site with easy to read (and understand) guidance for new investors
Investor.gov is the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission's site with investment information
Investopedia is another source of investment definitions and explanations

Investment Calcuators and Tools

nerdwallet has a LOT of caluculators for everything from investing to real estate to retirement
A Compound Interest Calcuator from the S.E.C.
A Savings Goal Cacluator also from the S.E.C.
Mortgage Calculators from the Mortgage Professor
Bankrate Calculators a variety of different calculators including home, auto, college and cost of living.
CalculatorWeb - over 70 different types of calculators for credit cards, personal finance, investing and even life insurance
Intuit - Mint An app to help navigate your finances, create budgets, and track spending
How long will I live? an estimate from the federal government on how long you will likely live.

Investment Firms

Vanguard the developer of indexed mutual funds
Charles Schwab one of the leaders in low cost trading
Merrill Lynch a division of Bank Amarica
T. Rowe Price an investment firm from Baltimore
Robinhood commission free investing
Acorns a low cost microinvesting platform
SoFi another low cost online stock broker
When in doubt - use Broker Check by FINRA to check on the validity of a financial advisor (not the advice - just the advisor)

Job Seeker websites

Career Coach is a Montgomery College site for assisting in a job search
CollegeGrad.com's site for entry level jobs
There are also many other job sites like Career Builder, Monster, and Indeed (among others)

General News and Financial Information sites

The Balance - "Master every aspect of your financial life with expert advice and how-to guides on topics ranging from investing and debt management to finding a new job."
The Washington Post
The New York Times
Wall Street Journal
Bllomberg news
CNN (currency exchange rates and money essentials are also available)
MSNBC
Deposit Accounts for rates from traditional banks on savings, checking, CDs, and money markets

BSAD111 - Personal Finance - Spring, 2025