FinanciallyLit Courses

Understand how taxes fund public services and government functions. Explore income tax, withholding, progressive rates, refunds, sales tax, and property tax, and see their impact on households and communities.

Learn how W-2 and 1099-NEC forms record earnings and tax withholdings, compare employee and freelance work, and build early habits for tax planning and refunds.

Understand how gross pay becomes net pay by examining mandatory deductions such as FICA and federal and state taxes, plus optional benefits like health insurance and retirement contributions.

Explore how tax credits, deductions, and refunds affect your tax bill, including education credits, student loan deductions, self-employment expenses, and strategies to maximize refunds.

Learn how to file a simple tax return using free online software, gather your W-2s and 1099s, claim education credits, and file early for faster refunds and fewer errors.

Create a budget that tracks income and expenses, prioritizes needs over wants, builds saving habits, and gains control over money to reduce stress.

Explore budgeting methods like zero-based, envelope, and 50-30-20 to find a plan that fits your habits. Track your spending for 30 days to choose the method you’ll actually stick to.

Track your income and expenses to see where your money goes, distinguish fixed and variable costs, and build a practical budget using notebooks, spreadsheets, or apps.

Set saving goals to give your money purpose and resist impulse buys. Break long-term goals into short-term milestones and build sinking and emergency funds.

Learn how to adjust your budget as life changes, identify income shifts, recalculate expenses, and prioritize needs, savings, then wants, with weekly tracking and monthly reviews.

Learn how credit is borrowed money you promise to repay, with lenders charging interest and credit reports and scores tracking your financial history.

Distinguish good debt that funds education, a home, or business from bad debt that drains value. Use debt as a future-building tool with responsible choices.

Explore how simple and compound interest drive the true cost of borrowing and why paying more than the minimum early helps you avoid the payment trap and stay in control.

Use credit responsibly to avoid debt traps. Pay full balances, track spending, and plan before purchases to prevent high-interest loans and late fees.

Learn to manage and pay off debt using snowball or avalanche strategies, track progress, and stay consistent to reduce interest and gain financial freedom.