Distance Learning Programs

If you are an individual interested in purchasing these programs for your own use, please call 1-866-662-4932. When you reach a counselor or educator, ask to speak with someone about taking a financial education course.

If you are a financial services professional and may be interested in purchasing these programs for your clients, please see our Educational Affiliates page on this website, or call 207-879-0389 and ask to speak with someone about becoming an Educational Affiliate of the Institute.

If you represent an organization which may be interested in purchasing these programs for its customers or members, please see our In The Works page on this website, or call 207-879-0389 and ask to speak with someone about developing an organizational partnership with the Institute.
 

Personal Finance Series

The Personal Finance Series consists of three programs that help the reader build a solid foundation for managing their personal finances. Using humor, candor and step-by-step instructions, the Personal Finance Series breaks the reader’s overall financial picture into easily digestible pieces that can be addressed one step at a time. From the conversational tone to the layout, the Personal Finance Series is designed to maximize the reader’s retention of the information presented and help them take control of their personal finances.

The first program in the Personal Finance Series, Guide to Budgeting was released Spring 2004. Guide to Budgeting shows readers that budgeting doesn’t have to be brutal, boring or burdensome, and demonstrates that net worth and a personal budget are the foundation upon which financial goals are built. In a conversational tone and user-friendly format designed for busy lives,Guide to Budgeting will help the reader:

• Learn the fundamentals of personal budgeting
• Determine their current personal budget
• Identify areas of their personal budget where improvements can be made
• Determine their Net Worth and explain its importance
• Set attainable financial goals

The second program in the Personal Finance Series, Guide to Credit & Debt Management, was released Spring 2006.  The Guide to Credit & Debt Management shows readers that credit and debt can be effectively managed, and that the proper use of credit and debt can help readers advance their personal financial goals.  Continuing the conversational tone and user-friendly format that is the hallmark of the series, the Guide to Credit & Debt Management helps the reader:

• Learn the basics of credit use
• Understand the law governing credit
• Interpret credit reports and FICO scores
• Understand the different forms of debt and what a “healthy” debt load is
• Develop strategies for debt reduction while avoiding fraudulent schemes

The third and final program in the Personal Finance Series, Guide to Investing & Retirement Planning is in production. The Guide to Investing & Retirement Planning will demystify the basics of investing and retirement planning, and show readers how intelligent investment strategies can help readers achieve their personal financial goals. Like its companion books, the Guide to Investing & Retirement Planning will use a conversational tone and user-friendly format to help the reader:

• Understand the different types of investment vehicles
• Evaluate an investment vehicle’s potential
• Develop an investment strategy that achieves personal financial goals
• Evaluate the need for an investment professional
• Determine personal financial needs in retirement

The Personal Finance Series is designed so that each program naturally builds on the knowledge gained from the previous program, yet each program is also a freestanding piece that a reader at any level of financial sophistication can benefit from.

Other Programs

Fresh Start: Personal Finance Management is an easy-to-read survey course covering a wide range of personal finance topics. Designed to meet the requirements of the post-filing personal financial management instructional course under the Bankruptcy Abuse and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, Fresh Start will give you some basic tools for managing your personal finances. Using humor, candor, and a few simple forms, Fresh Start™ will help you:

• Create a balanced budget and begin saving
• Identify ways to rebuild your credit
• Learn to use debt as a productive tool
• Invest for the future and plan for your retirement
• Decide which insurance products are right for you and your family