Personal Finance

Learn how to plan your personal finances from a certified public accountant (CPA)

What you'll learn:

• Explain the differences between personal finance and corporate finance
• Set personal financial goals for different points in the life cycle, circumstances, and personal preferences
• Describe time value of money concepts
• Calculate future value using multiple methods
• Calculate present value using multiple methods
• Describe money managing skills
• Compile personal financial statements including a balance sheet and income statement
• Create a budget
• Create a budget vs actual report
• Calculate & analyze common personal financial ratios

This course will cover personal finance concepts, starting from the basics, and moving to complex topics. We will cover each step thoroughly.

We will include many example problems, both in the format of presentations and Excel worksheet problems. The Excel worksheet presentations will include a downloadable Excel workbook with at least two tabs, one with the answer, the second with a preformatted worksheet that can be completed in a step-by-step process along with the instructional videos.

Learners will understand the similarities and differenced between personal finance and business finance. We will discuss how to set personal financial goals, taking into consideration the life cycle and specific life situations and preferences.

The course will discuss the differences and overlap in fields necessary to make effective personal financial plans including economics, accounting, and finance.

We will also learn about the concept of time value of money, being able to perform present value and future value calculations and know when such calculations are necessary. Time value of money concepts are some of the most difficult concepts to fully grasp, but they are required when making decisions that will impact future periods like retirement savings decisions. We will go into time value of money concepts early in the course, so we have them ready whenever needed as we move forward in the course.

Learners will also learn about money managing skills, skills related to accounting, compiling financial data into financial reports, and using those reports to construct budgets.