Finance literacy

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2025

A key strategy in saving money for retirement and other major events.  Tax differed and tax free accounts

Lessons for young adults introduction  

This retirement savings course is designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools necessary to build a secure financial future. Through these ten lessons, we will explore the fundamental principles of retirement planning, starting with understanding why saving now is crucial and how the power of compounding can work in your favor. We will then explore the various types of retirement accounts and their tax advantages, followed by guidance on estimating your retirement needs and navigating the world of investing, including asset allocation and understanding fees. Finally, we will address strategies for staying on track, managing your savings over time, and developing a personalized roadmap to achieve your retirement goals while avoiding common pitfalls.

*Numerous resources were used for the development of this website. These resources included: major U.S. brokerage sites, government finance sites, finance and investing books, AI tools, tax programs, finance calculators, finance forum groups, YouTube investing videos, and personal experiences.

START with the Lessons tab pull-down menu in the header or click on the lesson links below

1. Your Future Starts Today: Why Retirement Matters NOW: This lesson emphasizes the importance of understanding retirement as a significant future life stage and recognizing the advantage young adults have with the power of time in saving.

2. The Magic of Compounding: Making Your Money Work Harder: This lesson explains how compound interest allows savings to grow exponentially over time, highlighting the difference between simple and compound interest and the benefit of starting early.

3. Introduction to Retirement Accounts: Saving with Tax Advantages: This lesson introduces the concept of dedicated retirement savings accounts like IRAs and employer-sponsored plans and explains the significant tax advantages they offer for long-term growth.

4. IRAs: Taking Control of Your Retirement Savings (Traditional vs. Roth): This lesson will explain the features, tax implications, and contribution rules for Traditional and Roth IRAs, helping individuals decide which type might be more suitable for their situation.

5. Employer-Sponsored Plans: Your Job's Retirement Benefit: This lesson will focus on employer-sponsored retirement plans like the 401(k), explaining pre-tax and Roth contributions, the value of employer matching, and enrollment processes.

6. Investing Basics for Retirement Savings: This lesson will cover the fundamental concepts of investing, including different asset classes like stocks and bonds, pooled investments like mutual funds and ETFs, and the relationship between risk and return.

7. Building Your Investment Portfolio: Asset Allocation and Strategy: This lesson will focus on the importance of asset allocation, how to determine an appropriate mix of investments based on age and risk tolerance, and the concept of rebalancing.

8. Understanding Investment Fees and Their Impact: This lesson will explain the various fees associated with investing and demonstrate how even seemingly small fees can significantly erode long-term retirement savings.

9. Your Retirement Roadmap: Putting It All Together and Moving Forward: This lesson will help individuals synthesize all the learned concepts into a personal retirement savings strategy and develop a preliminary roadmap for their future.

10. The Power of Simplicity in Investing: In this lesson, we’ll explore two remarkably effective and simple strategies to help you confidently save for retirement: the "lazy" portfolio and target date funds.