April is Financial Literacy Awareness Month
First recognized by Congress in April 2004, the goal of FLAM is to highlight the importance of financial literacy and give people the tools they need to make smart financial choices. The current financial literacy forecast shows the need for financial literacy is greater than ever. With this in mind, we have shared a few key topics below to help you navigate today’s financial landscape and increase your financial knowledge.
Personal Topics
Investment Apps Can Help You Get Started
Investing can be a great way to build wealth for the future, and there are a variety of apps that can help get you started – even if you don’t have a lot of money.
These apps are generally easy to use, with investment options ranging from exchange-traded funds and mutual funds to index funds, bonds or even individual stocks.
While some apps allow you to essentially invest ‘spare change’ rounded up from your regular purchases, others let you set up recurring contributions in amounts that work best for your goals.
Early Retirement & How to Make it Happen
Many people dream about retiring early, but if that’s your goal, you’ll need to save enough money to make it happen. Will you have enough to live comfortably?
To find out if you have enough saved, you’ll need to do some math. You'll need to come up with an estimate for your total expenses, determine the length of your retirement, and consider how you will fund your retirement.
You should also revisit your numbers every year to make sure you’re on track and adjust accordingly.
Small Business Topics
What is a Healthy Amount of Business Debt?
When you hear the word “debt,” you don’t usually think of it as a good thing. But as a small business owner, debt can actually be a useful tool, especially if you’re just getting started. Too much, however, can bring your business down.
As a business owner, you will probably find yourself carrying at least some debt. At its simplest, “bad” debt is any debt that has a zero—or negative—return on investment and should be avoided. But good debt, when used wisely, can help your business grow.
Should my Business have a Google My Business Listing?
Business owners know the importance of marketing. They also know how expensive it can be to attract new customers - but it doesn’t have to be costly to make a potentially big impact.
One of the simplest ways to market your business is to take advantage of a Google My Business listing. It’s free to use and easy to set up—and that’s priceless when you’re trying to build a business.
Continue Learning
To learn more and to view additional videos and articles covering a wide range of financial topics including personal finance, identity theft prevention, cybersecurity, business advice and more, click on the banners to visit our Financial Education pages.
Continue Learning
To learn more and to view additional videos and articles covering a wide range of financial topics including personal finance, identity theft prevention, cybersecurity, business advice and more, click on the links below, or visit the Education page on our website.