Barbara O'Neill, Ph.D., CFP® oneill@aesop.rutgers.edu

1. Millionaire in the Making:
What Young Adults
Need to Know About Money
Barbara O’Neill, Ph.D., CFP®
oneill@aesop.rutgers.edu

2. What are Your $$$ Questions?

3. Jump$tart’s Twelve Principles
of Personal Financial Literacy
• Twelve principles for young adults to
become financially successful
– http://jumpstart.org/12-principles-calendars.html
• Available as a calendar in PDF format:
– http://jumpstart.org/assets/files/12%20Principle%20
Calendars/2012_J$_Calendar-time-CM.pdf

4. The Twelve Principles
• Know your take-home pay • Money doubles by “The
Rule of 72”
• Pay yourself first
• High returns equals high
• Start saving young risks
• Compare interest rates • Don’t expect something
for nothing
• Don’t borrow what you
can’t repay • Map your financial future
• Budget your money • Your credit past is your
credit future
• Stay insured

5. 1. Know Your Take-Home Pay
• Take-Home Pay = Net Pay = Disposable
Income
– Amount of income remaining after mandatory
deductions (e.g., taxes) and withholding
• Discretionary Income
– Money left after paying household expenses
– Include savings for goals as an “expense”
• Know these numbers before committing to
large expenses

6. 2. Pay Yourself First
• Treat savings as a household “expense”
• Give it the priority of a car loan payment
• Make savings automatic
– Employer retirement savings plans
– Mutual fund and DRIP stock automatic
investment plans
– Checking to savings transfers
– Need more ideas? See
http://www.americasaves.org/

7. 3. Start Saving Young
Time + Money = Magic!
Source: TIAA-CREF; assumes an 8% average annual return

9. Source: NEFE High School Financial Planning Program

10. 4. Compare Interest Rates
• Bankrate.com: http://www.bankrate.com/
• Consumer Action: http://www.consumer-action.org/
• Federal Reserve:
http://www.federalreserve.gov/creditcard/survey.html

11. Rule of Three
Credit Card Comparison
• See Personal Finance class assignment
http://rci.rutgers.edu/~boneill/assignments/creditcard.html
• Key Criteria:
– Annual fee
– Late fee
– Over-the-limit fee
– Method for computing balance
– Rewards for use
– APR

12. Key Credit Terms
• Finance charge
– Total dollar amount you pay to use credit
– Includes interest costs and fees, such as service
charges or credit-related insurance premiums
• Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
– Percentage cost of credit on a yearly basis
– Key to comparing costs when shopping for rates
– “Apples to Apples” comparison required by law
It is important to shop around for credit

13. 5. Don’t Borrow What You
Can’t Repay
Debt stinks! (http://www.itsahabit.com/musiccd.html)
– Ties up future income
– Prevents people from saving
– Costs money (interest and fees)
– Can lead to repossession, foreclosure, bankruptcy
– Causes physical symptoms of stress

14. The High Cost of Minimum
Payments
Data derived from Credit Card Smarts calculator

15. Warning Signs of Debt Problems
• Paying only the minimum balance each month
• Trouble even paying the minimum amount due
• Total balance increases every month
• Missing loan payments or paying late
• Using savings to pay for necessities
• Getting second or third payment notices
• Borrowing money to pay old debts
• Exceeding the credit limits on your credit cards
• Denied credit due to a bad credit report

16. 6. Budget Your Money
• Spending Plan Worksheet:
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/pdfs/fs421worksheet.pdf
• Positive Cash Flow: Income > Expenses
– Increase income
– Reduce expenses
– Do both

17. Seven Step Budgeting Process
1. Set financial goals and identify required savings
2. Estimate income from all sources
3. Budget an emergency fund and goal savings
4. Budget fixed expenses (include 1/12 occasional expenses)
5. Budget variable expenses
6. Record spending amounts
7. Review and revise as needed

18. What are Your Latte Factors™?

19. 7. Money Doubles By
“The Rule of 72”
• Calculates the number of years it takes for principal to
double
– Number of Years = 72 divided by interest rate
– Example: 72 ÷ 6% = 12 years
• Calculates the interest rate it takes for principal to
double
– Interest rate = 72 divided by number of years
– Example: 72 ÷ 10 = 7.2%
http://www.moneychimp.com/features/rule72.htm (calculator)

20. The Rule of 72
Source: Garman/Forgue, PERSONAL
FINANCE, Fifth Edition

21. 8. High Returns Equals High
Risks
Source:
Garman/Forgue,
PERSONAL
FINANCE, Fifth
Edition

22. Investment Risk Factors
Source: Garman/Forgue, PERSONAL FINANCE, Fifth Edition

23. 9. Don’t Expect Something
For Nothing
If it sounds too good to be
true, it probably is”
• Phishing scams
• “Pump and dump” scams
• “Free lunch” seminars
• “Guaranteed” returns > other investments
• Exotic sounding deals
• Exclusive, limited-time offers

24. 10. Map Your Financial Future
• Be a “future-minded” planner
• Set SMART Goals:
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/pdfs/goalsettingworksheet.pdf
– Short-Term: Under 3 years
– Medium-Term: 3 to 10 years
– Long-Term: 10 or more years
• Match savings/investments to goals
• “What you think about, you bring about”

25. 11. Your Credit Past is Your
Credit Future
• People with low credit scores pay more to
borrow money
– FICO score range: 300 (low) to 850 (high)
• Negative information stays on your credit
report for 7 years (bankruptcy- 10 years)
• Credit scores are used in job hiring, car
insurance premiums, apartment rentals

26. Credit Scoring Factors
• Bill payment history, weighted to
emphasize past 12 months (35%)
• Proportion of outstanding debt to
available credit limits (30%)
• Length of credit history (15%)
• Number of recent credit inquiries (10%)
• Mix of types of credit used (10%)

27. 12. Stay Insured
• Health insurance: “Age 26 law” (federal), NJ
“Dependent Under 31” law, and COBRA
– http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/division_consumers/du31.html
• Life insurance (if dependents)
• Disability insurance
• Renter’s and Auto insurance with adequate
liability limits

28. Key Messages
You are a Millionaire
in the Making
Time + Money =
Magic!

29. Financial Education Resources
• NEFE Cash Course: http://www.cashcourse.org/rutgers
• Personal Finance Course: http://rci.rutgers.edu/~boneill/
• America Saves: http://www.americasaves.org/
• PowerPay: https://powerpay.org/
• Rutgers Cooperative Extension:
http://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/default.asp#resources

30. Questions? Comments?
Experiences