MoneyCounts: A Financial Literacy Series is a Penn State branded umbrella program that was developed at Outreach and Online Education – Financial Literacy Center. The program offers free workshops at different locations, presentations, webinars, and freshmen seminar classes in a series of topics relevant to students’ interests.  All presentations under MoneyCounts: A Financial Literacy Series are developed and presented by the Penn State Financial Literacy Center team members funded and located at Outreach and Online Education to serve the Pennsylvania State University.

Next Workshop

Tuesday, August 29, 2017
12:00 PM-1:00 PM
https://psu.zoom.us/j/310489880

The Penn State Financial Literacy & Wellness Center is offering monthly webinars via Zoom throughout the 2017-2018 academic year.  The webinars will be held on the last Tuesday of every month starting in August, and are from 12:00 – 1:00 PM (Except December).  To access any of these free webinars, please use the Zoom link provided below, no registration needed:

https://psu.zoom.us/j/310489880

1. August 29                                            Principles of Financial Literacy
2. September 26                                     Student Loans
3. October 31                                          Saving and Investing
4. November 28                                     Credit Cards
5. December (NONE)                            None will be offered in December – Happy Holidays!
6. January 30                                          Debt Management
7. February 27                                        Wage and Tax Fundamentals
8. March 27                                             Spring Cleaning – Financial Clutter
9. April 24                                                Principles of Financial Literacy
10. May 29                                                 Budgeting Fundamentals
11. June 26                                                Financial Literacy for Women
12. July 31                                                  SMART: Financial Goal Planning

See all upcoming events »

Previous Workshops and Resources

Budgeting Fundamentals

Budgeting lies at the foundation of every financial plan. It is never only about money; it is mostly about making financial choices. In this workshop on Budgeting Fundamentals, principles will be simplified in just 5 steps that are easy to follow,  simple strategies to evaluate and better manage your finances will be shared, including tips on handling debt and setting short and long term goals using the SMART model.  This MoneyCounts session is provided by the Penn State Financial Literacy and Wellness Center team as a private session.

Requested by Alexa Ain apa5098@psu.edu

Session starts at 6:15PM

Credit Cards

Dr. Daad Rizk, Penn State Financial Literacy Manager, discusses the pros and cons of paying with plastic, how to read a credit card statement, how to manage credit card debt, and how credit cards can impact your credit history, credit report, and credit score. This workshop will uncover the mystery of how a FICO score is calculated and reveal tips to protect your financial reputation.  This MoneyCounts workshop is provided by the Penn State Financial Literacy team.

Debt Management

In this workshop, Penn State’s Financial Literacy Manager, Dr. Daad Rizk will help you identify, manage and reduce your debts, whether they are from credit cards, student loans or other debt sources. Learn to track spending, differentiate between wants and needs, build a sustainable budget, strategize for tough economic times, and make little changes that save money overtime and help with overall debt management and financial control.

FAFSA and Scholarships

Each year, students and parents complete the FAFSA to be considered for financial aid from the federal government, and in most instances, additional money from the state in which they reside and the college they want to attend. That’s why the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is so important – it is the gateway to three potentially big sources of financial aid from federal, state, and college entities. If you don’t complete a FAFSA, you could be missing out on a lot of financial aid including potential scholarships. In this workshop, Penn State Financial Literacy Manager, Dr. Daad Rizk will help students review the Financial Aid Process, understand the FAFSA application and explore options to find scholarships to finance education.

Financial Literacy for Women

Financial literacy is a serious issue facing women in the United States (and globally). In this workshop, Penn State’s Financial Literacy Director, Dr. Daad Rizk will discuss the money-related challenges women face and solutions that can help women succeed financially despite these challenges. The workshop will cover topics like earnings, spending habits, family responsibilities, career opportunities, and paying for education.

Getting Student Loans

What is the difference between a Federal Perkins Loan and a Direct Subsidized Loan? How much can you afford to borrow? In this workshop, Penn State’s Financial Literacy Director, Dr. Daad Rizk clarifies the types of loans available to college students, identify the steps to take before borrowing, reveal the relationship between future income and current loan borrowing, and teach how to forecast a future budget.

Military Financial Challenges and Benefits

Dr. Daad Rizk, Financial Literacy Director, and Matthew Heckman, Military Admissions Counselor, cover practical information to help military personnel prepare financially for:

• Deployment
• Protecting investment, minimizing taxes and holding down insurance costs
• Avoiding financial schemes that target military families
• Making the most of new GI Bill opportunity and education benefits decisions
• Making informed decisions when transitioning into civilian life

Mortgages: The Financial Process of Owning a Home

Buying a house is one of the most important financial decisions you would have to make in your life, and you cannot afford to be pushed into it before you fully understand the financial process of owning a home. In this workshop, Penn State’s Financial Literacy Director, Dr. Daad Rizk will help you understand how to budget for the cost, calculate your mortgage amortization schedule, improve your chances of getting a mortgage, find a monthly payment you can afford, and more.

Identity Theft: Protecting Yourself

Identity theft can compromise your personal and financial records and disrupt your life, and it can take years to restore your good name and financial reputation. In this workshop, Penn State’s Financial Literacy Director, Dr. Daad Rizk will help you learn how to protect yourself and what to do if identity theft happens to you.

Spring Clean Financial Clutter

Spring cleaning can clear clutter in your personal financial life just like it does for your closets and garage. In this workshop, Penn State’s Financial Literacy Director, Dr. Daad Rizk teaches you to take control of your finances and simplify financial record keeping for year end tax purpose, reducing stress and saving time in the long run.

Strategies for Success: Student Loan Repayment

When you graduate, withdraw from school, or drop below half-time enrollment status you will have six months before your first payment is due on your subsidized and unsubsidized loans. In this workshop, Penn State’s Financial Literacy Manager, Dr. Daad Rizk will share budgeting tips to meet your payments and strategies to protect your financial reputation throughout the terms of the loans. This workshop will help you learn how to get yourself ready to start the repayment process, choose your repayment plan and make the decision to consolidate your payment.

Wage and Tax Fundamentals

Taxes are something nobody enjoys thinking about, but it’s important that you educate yourself on important issues related to your taxes. This will ensure that you fulfill your legal obligations and avoid penalties or other problems—and may even help you save some money on your tax bill. In this workshop, Penn State’s Financial Literacy Director, Dr. Daad Rizk and Dr. Cathy Bowen, Professor and Consumer Issues Specialist, will cover some important tax-related topics.

What is Financial Literacy?

The Pennsylvania State University Financial Literacy’s mission is to provide students the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively for a lifetime of financial well-being. But, what is financial literacy and what are the skills that students need to acquire? In this workshop, Dr. Daad Rizk, Penn State Financial Literacy Director, presents an overview of financial literacy and gives specific steps and tips to examine and alter core attitudes and beliefs about money management as a prelude to reaching a successful financial life.