Personal Finance 101 Conversations
Personal Finance 101 Conversations is a series of short videos related to timely financial topics for students and consumers.
To provide students with online questions following each video, register your class through the Econ Lowdown Teacher Portal.
Learn more about the Q&A Resources for Teachers and Students »
Mortgage 101
Mortgage 101
Even though renting an apartment or buying a home may be a long time off, by using a budget, learning a decision-making process, and taking steps to establish credit, people can be more prepared when the time comes. This video provides some of the basics when it comes to mortgages.
College 101
Segment 1: College Choice 101
From small private colleges to large urban universities, there are enormous implications to consider in your choice of a school and a major. This video will help you develop a perspective and a framework for making these important decisions.
Segment 2: For-profit, Nonprofit, and Your College Options
Examine the costs and benefits of various post-secondary education options including community colleges, technical colleges and universities, and more recently, for-profit colleges.
Segment 3: FAFSA 101
This video provides a general overview of the Free Application for Student Aid, or FAFSA.
Segment 4: Financial Aid 101
Watch this short video to get your bearings in a seemingly endless sea of financial-aid options. Grants, scholarships, loans—you name it—we cover it in this informative clip.
Car Insurance 101
Car Insurance
Car insurance is complicated. How much does car insurance cost and what do all those terms and numbers mean? These two segments of Personal Finance 101 Conversations offer insights and information about purchasing car insurance. The content for these videos was reviewed by members of the Missouri Insurance Education Foundation.
Segment 1: Coverage and Cost Basics
Segment 2: Types of Coverage, Optional Add-ons, and Possible Discounts
Banks and Alternatives 101
Segment 1: Fees, Fees and More Fees: It all Adds Up
Rent-to-own and “buy here, pay here” make it easy to get what you want. But what are the real costs that you will pay for this convenience compared with what you’d pay using more-traditional financing, such as loans or credit cards? This video weighs the benefits and costs of your options.
Segment 2: Tax Refund Fees
Refund anticipation checks are often offered by tax preparers as a way to get your tax refund faster than normal—especially if you don't have a bank account. Also, some check-cashing stores and payday lenders are able to issue refund anticipation loans. This video takes a look at the costs of these options and suggests some cheaper alternatives.
Segment 3: Banks and Alternatives
Payday and title lenders, pawn shops, check-cashing services and prepaid cards can be convenient and valuable financial services, similar to those offered by traditional providers of such services—banks and credit unions. What are the costs and benefits of using alternative financial services, as well as of going to a bank or credit union?
Forms 101
Filling out the I-9 Form
Have you accepted a new job recently? Are you aware of the paperwork you need to complete when you start a new job? Watch this brief video to learn about the I-9 form; an important document required to prove you have the legal right to work in the United States.
W-4
Required each time you start a job, the W-4 form and worksheet are used to determine the amount your employer should withhold from your paycheck for federal income taxes. This brief video explains the basics of taxes, dependents, and exemptions.
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