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Richard Okumoto

Money sets limits on your dreams, hinders or magnifies your happiness, and dictates the quality of your life.

.. They taught you next to NOTHING about how to manage it in school. The result has been a generation who has mismanaged budgets, racked up debts, defaulted on mortgages, lost investments, and failed to keep retirement plans. While a small proportion of the country has figured out how to make money work for them, most of us are part of the shrinking middle class who are losing out.

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Money sets limits on your dreams, hinders or magnifies your happiness, and dictates the quality of your life.

.. They taught you next to NOTHING about how to manage it in school. The result has been a generation who has mismanaged budgets, racked up debts, defaulted on mortgages, lost investments, and failed to keep retirement plans. While a small proportion of the country has figured out how to make money work for them, most of us are part of the shrinking middle class who are losing out.

That's where Personal Financial Well Being comes in. University Instructor and former Silicon Valley Chief Financial Officer Richard Okumoto has developed this course for the Dot University to narrow the Wealth GAP and demystify personal money management.

The course applies two core techniques which Accelerates Time-to-Knowledge. Starting with a landscape view then introducing primary building blocks provides an accelerated path to connect-the-dots on how money works:

  • How do you manage your money?
  • How do you manage debt?
  • How do you determine your financial wealth?
  • How do you pay your fair share of taxes, and nothing more?
  • How do you prepare for retirement?
  • How should you invest your money?
  • How do you prepare your estate for when you pass on?

The course is built on the following (3) CORE Building Blocks (GAP Approach):

1. Generating Positive Cash Flow – “Understanding your money to keep more of it. ”

This includes: Personal Budgeting, Debt Management, Personal Income Taxes, and Retirement Planning (Part 1).

2. Accumulating Wealth – “Understanding Wealth; how to create it and how to hold onto it. ”

This includes: Determining Wealth, Investing (part 1 & 2), and Retirement Planning (Part 2).

3. Protecting What you Have – “How to conquer Financial Risk. ”

This includes: Insurance (part 1 & 2) and Estate Planning.

Who might benefit from this Course – Anyone who wants to remove fear from finances and master their Personal Financial Well Being.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Master personal financial well being
  • Understand personal budgeting
  • Understand debt management
  • Understand personal income taxes
  • Understand retirement planning
  • Understanding determining wealth
  • Understand basic & advanced investing
  • Understand insurance
  • Understand estate planning

Syllabus

Generating Positive Cash Flow > Personal Budgeting
Personal Budgeting Introduction
What Budgeting Looks Like
How to Budget: Start with a Goal
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Compounding Explanation & Calculations

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Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Well-suited for learners who want to improve their financial well-being
Developed by Richard Okumoto, former Silicon Valley Chief Financial Officer
Develops core financial management skills, including budgeting, debt management, and investment
Covers a wide range of topics, from personal budgeting to estate planning
Provides practical guidance and real-world examples to help learners apply concepts
Requires time and effort to complete, but offers a comprehensive learning experience

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Reviews summary

Comprehensive & practical financial foundation

According to students, this course offers a largely positive experience, serving as a solid and comprehensive foundation for personal financial well-being. Learners praise how the instructor, Richard Okumoto, simplifies complex financial topics, making them easy to understand and apply. Many found the modules on budgeting, debt management, and retirement planning particularly helpful. While it's considered a game-changer for beginners seeking a clear roadmap, some with existing financial knowledge felt the content was too basic, suggesting it might be better suited for those new to comprehensive financial planning rather than advanced learners. The inclusion of useful calculators and its well-structured, bite-sized modules are frequently highlighted.
The course's integrated calculators are a valuable asset.
"The calculators provided are also very useful for understanding compounding and other financial concepts."
"I appreciate the effort put into the 'Tool Box Calculators'; they are practical and enhance learning."
Offers tools and strategies immediately applicable to finances.
"The 'Generating Positive Cash Flow' section was particularly life-changing for me, helping me manage my debt."
"I learned how to use practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work and personal life."
"The budget management and debt sections were very actionable and provided great advice."
Covers all essential personal finance areas effectively.
"This course truly broke down financial concepts into digestible pieces, covering everything from budgeting to estate planning."
"It covers a wide range of topics from budgeting to retirement, touching on all the key areas of personal finance."
"A solid foundation in personal finance. The course did a good job of covering a lot of ground without being overwhelming."
Instructor simplifies complex topics with actionable insights.
"The instructor, Richard Okumoto, simplifies complex topics like investing and estate planning, making them easy to understand."
"I especially appreciated the practical examples and the clear explanations of budgeting and debt management."
"This course provided me with a clear roadmap for my financial journey."
"I finally understand how to manage my money and plan for the future."
Provides a strong foundation, though less for advanced learners.
"I found the course a solid introduction, but I might need further reading for specific, advanced strategies."
"The course has good information, but I felt some of the content was too basic for my existing knowledge as an investor."
"If you already have some financial knowledge, you might find parts repetitive, but it's useful as a general refresher."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Personal Financial Well-Being with these activities:
Create a practical budget based on your income and expenses
Develop a structured plan to manage your finances effectively and prepare for future financial goals.
Browse courses on Budgeting
Show steps
  • Track your income and expenses for a period of time
  • Categorize your expenses
  • Set financial goals and allocate funds accordingly
Explore online resources on tax-efficient investments
Gain knowledge about various investment options and strategies to minimize tax liability and maximize returns.
Browse courses on Investments
Show steps
  • Research online resources on tax-efficient investments
  • Identify investment options suitable for your financial goals
  • Consult with a financial advisor or tax professional for personalized recommendations
  • Monitor your investments and make adjustments as needed
Design a personal finance tracking tool or dashboard
Develop a customized tool to monitor and manage your finances, providing insights into your financial habits and progress.
Browse courses on Financial Technology
Show steps
  • Gather your financial data from various sources
  • Identify the key financial metrics you want to track
  • Choose a format for your tracking tool (e.g., spreadsheet, app, website)
  • Design and implement the tool with necessary features and visualizations
Two other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all five activities
Attend a workshop on retirement planning
Gain practical guidance and insights on retirement planning strategies to secure your financial future effectively.
Browse courses on Retirement Planning
Show steps
  • Research and identify reputable retirement planning workshops
  • Register and attend the workshop
  • Engage actively in the workshop, ask questions, and take notes
  • Review the materials and apply the knowledge to your financial plan
Contribute to open-source projects in the personal finance domain
Engage with like-minded individuals and contribute to the development of tools and resources that enhance personal finance management.
Browse courses on Financial Technology
Show steps
  • Identify open-source projects related to personal finance
  • Join the community and contribute code, documentation, or other resources
  • Provide feedback and collaborate on project improvements
  • Showcase your contributions in your resume or portfolio

Career center

Learners who complete Personal Financial Well-Being will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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