Financial Literacy Program Syllabus

This syllabus demonstrates the blueprint behind CreditUnionNewsletters.com. Although the actual content is interesting and fun, the method behind the content is organized and all-encompassing.

Goal:

Your credit union will have the resources and the ability to put a customized financial literacy program in place, educate members through an ongoing, consistent and up-to-date initiative through the selection of articles and features on the topics of interest and pertinent application in your members’ lives.

All content is not only informative and easy to understand, but also interesting and entertaining so members will enjoy reading it and implementing the suggested ideas.

Reader Take-Aways:

As members begin to absorb the financial education content you’ve selected for your newsletter and/or website, they will develop the following:

• An understanding that they already know a lot of what they need to know about money.
• A confidence that they can handle their own finances wisely, having eliminated the ‘I’m not good with money’ self-concept.
• The ability to set both long-term and short-term financial goals.
• Personal priorities based upon what is important to each individual member.
• The strength to stand behind those priorities and do what it takes to reach their financial goals without concern for ‘keeping up with the Jones.’
• The ability to educate their children on what they need to understand about money at every stage of their lives.
• A comfort level with basic financial terminology.
• The confidence to step out of their comfort zone, ask tough questions and make decisions based upon their new, open-minded view of how to best handle their money.
• Responsible use of credit.

Topics Covered:

Basic budgeting

Budgeting for a family

Credit

Credit counseling: Do you need it?
Credit counseling: What you need to know
Credit repair: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Personal loans
Responsible use of credit cards
Your credit report: What it says about you, and what you need to know
Establishing credit as a young adult

Debt

Too much debt, how to dig your way out
Bankruptcy: Not an option
Debt consolidation: When it’s a good idea, and when it’s not such a good idea Debt negotiation: Do you need someone to help? What you need to know.

Investing

401k
Mutual funds

Online banking

Preparing for retirement

Making it a priority
Planning
Saving
Social Security: What it is, how it works, and what it does - and doesn’t - do for you.

Saving

For college
For a rainy day
For a special event/large purchase

Talking to kids about money

Taxes

Understanding what is - and isn’t - insured by the NCUA