Managing Major Financial Decisions

This unit guides students through complex, real‑life personal finance choices including protection, credit and debt management, investing for multiple goals, home buying, tax strategies, and working with financial professionals. Students will evaluate options, apply decision-making tools, and practice recordkeeping and communication skills needed for long‑term financial stability.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze comparative scenarios for major life expenses and financing (education, home, business) to recommend cost-effective strategies, including savings plans, loans, bankruptcy implications, and distinctions between good debt and bad debt
• Evaluate insurance and risk‑management options by comparing health, property, and umbrella policies, estimating coverage needs, and determining appropriate premium‑risk tradeoffs
• Apply investment and tax‑planning tools to calculate investment returns, interpret fund performance, select suitable long‑term and education investment vehicles, and identify legal strategies to reduce investment and education‑related taxes
• Demonstrate professional communication and recordkeeping practices by preparing interview questions for financial advisors, working through the home‑buying process with agents, reviewing monthly financial statements, securing receipts, and creating an action plan to stop consumer debt cycles