Category Archives: Financial Literacy Month

Understanding Your Paycheck Deductions

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Aw8CB3a5M&index=3&list=PLlbslWWQNsnVQNuMerA1M1Pq9EcQX-PwT

Click to Play Talkin’ Money Video

Getting your first paycheck is an exciting thing. Then you look at the actual amount of the check and you think there must have been a mistake! It’s because they take out taxes and employee benefits from you pay. You should take the time to understand what they deduct from your paycheck, and why.

High school students usually first become aware that the money you make per hour, multiplied times the hours they worked each week, did not add up to the amount they actually received in their check for the pay period. Gross pay is the amount you are paid, before taxes are taken out, Net pay is the actual amount of the check, with all of the taxes and benefits deducted.

Here are the different items they deduct from an average paycheck:

Federal Tax – also known as income tax. it can range from 15 to 39.6% of the total. The more you make, the more you pay. Here’s a basic table of income tax rates for 2016:

2016-IncomeTax-Rates

State Tax – this is the State Income tax paid depending on which state you live in. Currently seven states have no state income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

FICA – This is the social security tax. You pay 6.2% of your income to FICA. In addition, your employer pays and additional 6.2% for you. It provides you with a guaranteed retirement benefit when you are in your 60’s.

MEDI – This is for Medicare. You pay 1.45% of your income to Medicare. Your employer also pays an additional 1.45% for you.  It provides you with health care benefits when you are in your 60’s.

OTHER – Other items that can be deducted from your paycheck are for Life Insurance, Health Insurance, Retirement Plans, Flexible Spending Account Deduction (which is a health savings plan) and Employee Stock Plans. There may be other items deducted as well which are usually part of an employee benefits plan.

BTW, besides Financial Literacy Month, April is also Tax Month, with your personal tax returns due on April 15th. Did you file your return yet?

2016_0405-Paycheck

Attention Millennials!
You Need A Personal Financial Plan!

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2016_0404-PersFinancPlanAttention millennials, now, listen up! It’s important to have a personal financial plan. Here is the top ten list for college-aged folks, that will help you with smart money practices and habits:

1 – Create a Budget – Simply stated, it’s figuring out how much money is coming in and how much money is going out. In fact, click here to download our Budget PDF. https://talkinmoney.org/files/Budget-Mania.pdf

2 – Track how much you spend – For the next seven days, track all your spending – you’ll be surprised on where the money goes!

3 – Live Within Your Means – Every first time college student will tell you how fast they blew through all their money. Don;t spend what you don;t have.

4 – Set Goals for Yourself – Take time to establish goals. Make them realistic and attainable. For example, saving towards a big purchase, or paying down your credit cards.

5 – Credit Card 101 – Speaking of paying down your credit cards, if you have the habit of paying your credit card balance fully, every month, this will go a long way in helping your credit scores!

6 – Student Loan 101 – Don’t take out college loans for anything but educational and living expenses!

7 – Never Be Late On A Payment – Always pay on time. Avoid late fees. This will tremendously help your credit score. If you are going to be late, call and talk to the company, they will always make arrangements.

8 – Create an Emergency Fund – Try to build your savings to three months living expenses.

9 – Be Smart and Save –  Pinch your pennies and be smart about your spending and it will save you $$$. Here’s a resource of money-saving tips http://www.collegescholarships.org/student-living/save-money.htm

10 – Find Scholarships, Avoid Loans – There is free money for the taking in the form of scholarships. Seek those out first, before you go after that easy-to-get college loan.

OohRah! April is National Financial Literacy Month, Talkin’ Money’s favorite month! To celebrate the importance of being financially literate, we’re going to post financial literacy tips every day.

A Career Plan Helps You Plan For The Future

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2016_0403-CareerPlanSometimes stepping back and looking at where you stand can have a great impact on your approach to things. The same can be said for a Career Plan. At various stages of your life, having a Career Plan, and reviewing that plan can keep you on the right path, helping you achieve a higher salary, job security and a rewarding career – doing what you love.

Ask yourself these questions:

What is the marketability of the degree you are pursuing?
Are there steps you might take to add to your potential employ-ability and earning power?

A career plan is simply a step-by-step assessment, finding out the things you need to do, and the order you need to do them in, to get the career you want.  For college-aged folks, taking the time to establish a career plan can act as a blueprint for building your career.

1 – Assess yourself, Take time now to learn how your skills, values, interests, and personality might influence your career choices.

2 – Understand the careers available to your career choice. Do you really know what jobs you might qualify for upon graduation?

3 – Participate in your career choice. Set yourself apart from other recent graduates, participate in internships, mentoring programs, and other work-based learning experiences.

4 – Network. Look for career-related student group, professional associations, or other groups that can help you to network.

Taking the time to organize yourself with a Career Plan helps you take the right steps to your career future.

April is National Financial Literacy Month, Talkin’ Money’s favorite month! To celebrate the importance of being financially literate, we’re going to post financial literacy tips every day.

Don’t Use Your
Social Security Number As ID

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2016_0402-SocialSecurityIdentity theft is a big problem. If someone gains control of your personal information they might be able to open accounts, file taxes and make purchases in your name.

The number one thing you can do to help prevent identity theft is to not use your social security number for identification purposes.

If anyone asks for your social security number for identification purposes, tell them you do not give out that number!

Mark Ferris’s cable TV company asked for the last four digits of his social security number to use as a PIN number to access his account. “I told them I do not give out my social security number or any part of it”, said Ferris, “ so they said fine, and asked me to give them a 4-digit number I could remember. If I provide my social security number or any part of it, it just increases the risk I will be subject to fraud or identity theft!”

It sometimes takes detective work, and there are many warning signs that might ‘pop up’ allowing you to discover that someone is using your information. You might notice strange withdrawals from your bank account, get bills that aren’t yours, or get calls about debts that you don’t owe. You might get a notice from the IRS or find unfamiliar accounts on your credit report.

Should you find yourself a victim of identity theft, the first place you should start is the Federal Government’s Federal Trade Commission’s dedicated website https://www.identitytheft.gov

April is National Financial Literacy Month, Talkin’ Money’s favorite month! To celebrate the importance of being financially literate, we’re going to post financial literacy tips every day.

April Is Financial Literacy Month!

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2016_0401-FinLitMonthApril is National Financial Literacy Month, Talkin’ Money’s favorite month! To celebrate the importance of being financially literate, we’re going to post financial literacy tips every day.

When polled, the vast majority of adults will tell you that they were never taught the things they needed to know about money when they were in school, and,they wished that they had the knowledge to be financially literate at a young age.

Being financially literate means examining your attitudes about money. Talkin’ Money is targeted to millennials, but it’s never too late to do a financial literacy ‘check-up’.

Here are a few financial literacy questions to ask yourself today:

  • Do you make informed financial decisions and understand the difference between wants and needs?
  • Have you meet your credit obligations on time?
  • Do you track your expenses with a budget?
  • Do you plan for the future through savings?
  • Have you establish money goals?

April is National Financial Literacy Month, Talkin’ Money’s favorite month! To celebrate the importance of being financially literate, we’re going to post financial literacy tips every day.