Course Description
This is an advanced personal finance course that focuses on building wealth, making informed financial decisions, and planning for long-term financial success. Students will explore investing concepts including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, retirement accounts, and portfolio diversification while participating in real-world investment simulations and financial analysis activities. The course also examines entrepreneurship, real estate, taxes, insurance, and other strategies for managing financial risk and growing wealth. Through case studies, projects, and current financial events, students will develop the skills needed to evaluate investment opportunities and make sound financial decisions. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, financial independence, and applying financial knowledge to real-life situations.
Core Curriculum Content Standards
Business, Computer and Information Technology (2012)
Entrepreneurship
GRADES 9 - 12
- Research the opportunities for local entrepreneurship in the global economy and discuss the impact of government regulations.(15.5.12.F)
Finance and Economics
GRADES 9 - 12
- Evaluate the impact of internal and external influences on financial decisions.(15.6.12.A)
- Identify strategies for personal financial management.(15.6.12.G)
- Evaluate payment methods for major purchases.(15.6.12.H)
- Analyze the total cost of a major purchase loan agreement using fixed and variable interest rates, calculated over time.(15.6.12.J)
- Develop financial investment plans to accommodate various economic and personal scenarios.(15.6.12.P)
- Apply the “Rule of 72” to estimate the number of periods required to double an investment.(15.6.12.Q)
- Analyze the role of government in investment planning and retirement planning.(15.6.12.S)
Personal Finance (2026)
Income
Grades 9 to 12
- Explain various types of income (e.g., earned, unearned, passive, active) and their sources (e.g., work, rentals, investments, government programs).(17.2.9-12.A)
- Describe sources of retirement income and how they relate to individual investment choices, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and government programs.(17.2.9-12.B)
Spending
Grades 9 to 12
- Develop a personal approach to keeping track of income and spending.(17.3.9-12.C)
- Evaluate various budgeting approaches (e.g., 50-30-20, zero-based) and methods (e.g., envelope system, spreadsheets, online tools).(17.3.9-12.D)
- Create a personal budget to allocate current or future income, including estimates for fixed and variable expenses.(17.3.9-12.E)
- Identify methods for adjusting a budget for unexpected expenses or loss of income.(17.3.9-12.F)
- Analyze a housing decision, including comparing renting and buying, upfront and ongoing costs, and the process of obtaining a mortgage or a lease.(17.3.9-12.J)
- Justify the purchase or lease of a vehicle and the alternatives considered (e.g., new versus used, total cost of ownership or use).(17.3.9-12.K)
Saving and Investing
Grades 9 to 12
- Calculate a person's net worth given their assets and liabilities.(17.4.9-12.A)
- Develop a savings plan for accomplishing personal short- and long-term financial goals.(17.4.9-12.B)
- Compare the features of various savings vehicles (e.g., savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts) and the interest rates offered by several institutions.(17.4.9-12.C)
- Explain factors that contribute to rates of return for various investments, including risk, inflation, and taxes.(17.4.9-12.D)
- Explain the similarities and differences between stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds, and the factors that influence price fluctuations for each.(17.4.9-12.E)
- Describe factors to consider when selecting sources of investment advice and trading methods (e.g., online trading platforms, financial advisors, robo-advisors).(17.4.9-12.F)
- Explain how popular benchmark indices are used.(17.4.9-12.G)
- Recommend an investment portfolio diversified to meet specific goals, including purpose, starting age, time horizon, and tolerance for risk.(17.4.9-12.H)
- Compare retirement-specific investment options, including employer-sponsored plans, Roth and traditional individual retirement accounts, and accounts available to people who are self-employed.(17.4.9-12.I)
- Analyze personal attitudes towards risk and how these might impact future investment decisions and outcomes.(17.4.9-12.J)
- Describe methods to avoid or counteract the potentially negative impacts of behavioral biases (e.g., loss aversion, herding, choice overload) on investment decisions.(17.4.9-12.K)
Risk and Insurance
Grades 9 to 12
- Evaluate a person's potential for financial risk (e.g., loss of personal property, reduction in income, liability).(17.5.9-12.A)
- Critique approaches to avoiding, reducing, retaining, and transferring risk given a particular scenario.(17.5.9-12.B)
- Formulate insurance recommendations based on individual needs, situations, and preferences, including but not limited to automotive, homeowners, renters, health, life, and disability, as justified.(17.5.9-12.C)
- Use information from various sources to compare insurance providers, plans, and prices.(17.5.9-12.D)
- Formulate a process of comparing insurance products, determining out-of-pocket costs, and filing claims.(17.5.9-12.E)
- Analyze trends in financial fraud and strategies to avoid becoming a victim.(17.5.9-12.H)
- Research the agencies individuals can contact and steps they can take to address financial fraud and scams, including identity theft.(17.5.9-12.I)
Credit
Grades 9 to 12
- Evaluate pathways to obtaining credit and what lenders look for in a borrower (e.g., character, capacity, capital, collateral).(17.6.9-12.A)
- Describe how credit reports and scores are determined, used, and improved.(17.6.9-12.B)
- Compare various forms of credit and how each is used (e.g., secured and unsecured loans, installment and revolving credit, service credit).(17.6.9-12.C)
- Analyze the use of loans to finance higher education and home purchases, how they are obtained, and options for paying them back.(17.6.9-12.D)
- Calculate the total cost of credit given a variety of situations (e.g., making minimum payments, paying fees, using alternative financial service providers).(17.6.9-12.E)
- Describe the consequences of failing to repay debts and sources of debt management assistance.(17.6.9-12.F)
- Evaluate various rights and laws related to credit and their impact on consumers.(17.6.9-12.G)
Units
Unit #1 - Building Wealth & Financial Goal Setting
Unit #2 - Investing Fundamentals
Unit #3 - Market Research & Security Analysis
Unit #4 - Budgeting, Cash Flow, and Wealth-Building Habits
Unit #5 - Credit, Debt, and Consumer Finance
Unit #6 - Taxes and Investing
Unit #7 - Insurance and Risk Management
Unit #8 - Real Estate and Major Financial Decisions
Unit #9 - Entrepreneurship as Investing
Unit #10 - Retirement Planning and Financial Independence
Course Resources
Google Sheets, Docs, Slides, and Classroom
Book: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Videos/Clips/Documentaries:
• The Psychology of Money (Morgan Housel interviews)
• The Retirement Gamble (PBS Frontline)
• The Men Who Built America (entrepreneurship and investment)
• Shark Tank (selected pitches)
• The Profit (selected business turnaround episodes)
• CNBC's Millennial Money
• Wall Street Journal documentary videos
• TED Talks on behavioral economics and investing
Online:
The Stock Market Game and/or How the Market Works - investing simulation
NGPF (Next Gen Personal Finance) Arcade Games
Online calculators for compound interest, mortgages, retirement
Zillow and Redfin for real estate
Finance info: Yahoo Finance, Google Finance
