Foundations of Teen Personal Finance

This unit introduces foundational personal finance knowledge and practical skills for teens, including goal-setting, budgeting, banking, credit, basic taxes, and early career/postsecondary planning. Students practice real-world tasks (e.g., building a budget, opening a checking account, evaluating credit options, and preparing a basic resume) and learn safe financial habits to prepare for more advanced financial topics in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze personal income (gross vs. net) and routine expenses to construct and justify a balanced budget that includes at least one short-term and one long-term savings goal.
• Apply knowledge of banking and cybersecurity best practices by completing simulated tasks to open and manage a basic checking account, identify common bank services, and protect personal financial information.
• Demonstrate understanding of credit and debt by distinguishing among types of credit, calculating basic interest/repayment impacts, and recommending strategies to build or maintain good credit.
• Evaluate postsecondary and early-career options by summarizing education and employment pathways, identifying sources of financial aid, preparing a basic resume, and estimating take-home pay after common taxes.