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FINANCIAL FIR$T $TEP$

Workshops on navigating the transition from college student to working professional

After four years, Sarah was finally seeing her hard work pay off – graduation was near! And while she was still interviewing to secure a job, Sarah was really looking forward to life after college. However, with all the excitement, Sarah felt anxious about living on her own and making ends meet. Her friend Aaron graduated last year with a good starting salary, but he had already built up a significant amount of credit card debt and Sarah saw the financial stress it caused. As she approached her May graduation, Sarah had tons of questions including:

  • How much should she begin saving? Should she already be thinking about retirement? Where should she save her money?
  • As she talked to recruiters, she wondered what type of benefits her employer will provide? How can I negotiate with a future employer? What’s the difference between an HMO and a PPO?
  • How well could she live off her starting income? What is the best way to start a budget?

Are you feeling overwhelmed by future financial decisions like Sarah? Confused on where you even begin? Come join us to start your “financial first steps” – workshops that aim to provide you with foundational knowledge to help you start the transition from full-time college student to working professional. 

Pizza will be available (registration for each workshop is required – see below).


Sign up for one or both upcoming workshops

“Maximizing the Value of Employee Benefits”
Tuesday, April 18 at 5pm, 366 State Farm Hall of Business
Tice Sirmans, PhD, Assistant Professor

New employees often must make immediate decisions on employee benefits, but for many the process of choosing which benefits are best for you can be overwhelming. In this workshop, we’ll discuss several major types of benefits. How do you decide which health insurance plan is best for you? How much should you contribute to your 401(k)? In addition to employee benefits, you will hear tips on negotiating offers with employers.

Register for Tuesday, April 18th here: https://bit.ly/Fin1stSteps2

“Planning, Saving, and Investing”
Wednesday, April 19 at 5pm, 357 State Farm Hall of Business
Scott Davis, CFP, CFA, Renaissance Wealth Management

Individuals save for a variety of goals including establishing an emergency fund, a down payment on a house, or retirement. This workshop will help you understand the importance of saving and getting started early. How much should you save? What options are best when starting out? What’s the difference between stocks, bonds, and mutual funds?

Register for Wednesday, April 19th here: https://bit.ly/Fin1stSteps3


(Past events)

“50 Personal Finance Tips” (see article here: https://www.themuse.com/advice/50-personal-finance-tips-that-will-change-the-way-you-think-about-money)
Tuesday, March 21
Cathy Hempstead, CFP, ISU Human Resources

Published in Uncategorized

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