SYLLABUS FOR PERSONAL FINANCE

1

Term:  Fall, 2004 (041) (August 30 - December 10)

Course Number: ACC 215A

Instructor:   Mr. George F. Grzesiowski MBA/CPA

                     Assistant Professor in Accounting and Management

Office:  516

Office Phone:  219-473-4283

Home:  219-362-1696

Cell:  219-716-5002

E-mail:  ggrzesiowski@ccsj.edu

Home:   grzz@csinet.net

 

Office Hours: 

Monday

3:30 – 7:00 PM

Tuesday

10:30 – 11:30 AM

Wednesday

12:00PM -    5:00PM

Thursday

3:30 – 5:00 PM

Friday

10:30 – 11:30 AM

 

Course Time:   Wednesdays 9:00AM – 12:00PM

 

Course Description: 

An overview of personal and family financial planning with an emphasis on financial record keeping, planning your spending, tax planning, consumer credit, making buying decisions, purchasing insurance, selecting investments and retirement and estate planning.

 

Prerequisites:  None

 

Learning Outcomes/ Competencies:

Students in this course will:

·        Assess personal and economic factors that influence personal financial planning and develop personal financial goals.

·        Evaluate the factors that influence employment opportunities and implement employment search strategies.

·        Create a system for maintaining personal financial documents.

·        Create and implement a budget.

·        Calculate taxable income and the amount owed for federal incomes tax and prepare a federal income tax return.

·        Analyze factors that affect selection and use of financial services.

·        Assess your credit capacity and build your credit rating.

·        Differentiate among various kinds of credit.

·        Evaluate major sources of consumer credit and develop a plan to manage your debt.

·        Implement strategies for effective purchasing and identify steps to take to resolve consumer problems.

·        Develop a strategy for buying or selling a home.

·        Develop a risk management plan using insurance.

·        Define health insurance and disability income insurance and explain their importance in financial planning.

·        Determine your life insurance needs.

·        Create a personal investment program.

·        Evaluate stock investments, mutual funds and bonds when making an investment.

·        Analyze the risks and rewards of investing in real estate, precious metals, gems and collectibles.

·        Develop a retirement plan.

·        Assess the legal aspects of estate planning.

 

 

Textbooks:  Personal Finance, 7th edition, Kapoor, Dlaby & Hughs, Irwin McGraw-Hill, 2004.

 

Assessment:

Exams                                                                          60        % of grade

Assignments                                                                 30        % of grade

Class participation/collaboration/attendance                   10        % of grade

                                                                                  100%                                                                                                                            

 

Class Policy for Assignments:

Students are expected to have read the chapter prior to the lecture.  Each chapter will be explained and discussed.  Concepts will be illustrated by working selected demonstration problems in class. 

 

Assignments are due when assigned.  Late assignments will be assessed a penalty. 

 

 

Grading Scale:

Grade

Points

A

100-92

A-

91-90

B+

89-88

B

87-82

B-

81-80

C+

79-78

C

77-72

C-

71-70

D+

69-68

D

67-62

D-

61-60

F

59 and below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Policy on Attendance:

Attendance in class is an important priority.  Personal Finance is a course that continues to build on the knowledge gained.  It is not possible to understand and grasp the fundamentals being taught in later chapters unless the earlier chapters have been mastered.  Missing classes will impede your progress.

 

Your class participation grade will be affected by attendance.  If you are not here, you are not participating.

 

Student Responsibilities:

It is expected that all students will be present on test days.  If unavoidable circumstances prevent attendance, the test can be made up at the instructor’s discretion.  It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor to make arrangements to make up the exam.  Unexcused absences on test days will result in a 10% penalty. 

 

All students no matter what their educational background, life/work experiences, have something to offer that will enrich our class.  As instructors, we not only encourage participation, but also rely on it.  As students, you should demand it, not only of yourselves, but also of your classmates.  Our class is only as good as we make it.

 

Class Policy on Electronic Devices: (optional)(Cell phones, Beeper, Pagers¼etc.)

These tend to be disruptive.  Please turn on silent mode or message only.

 

Classroom Behavior

The student is expected to treat the instructor and his/her fellow students with respect and courtesy at all times.  This means giving your full attention.  No private conversations, no catching up on homework assignments, no naps.  Such items can and will affect your participation points.

 

Center for Academic Excellence:

Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Call the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), to make an appointment at 473-4287. The Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better. Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.

 

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances.

 

 

 

Please note: Calumet College of St. Joseph subscribes to Turnitin.com and all papers can and may be submitted for checks on plagiarism from the Internet/Electronic sources/Databases.

 

Citation Guidelines:

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.).  All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore.  These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

 

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. The Registrar must receive written request for withdrawal by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed.

 

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course outline

 

Week/Date                             Topic

 

1          9/1                               Introduction to Course

 

2          9/8                               Chapter 1;  Planning Your Personal Finances

                                                Chapter 2:  Financial Aspects of Career Planning

 

3          9/15                             Chapter 3:  Financial Statements and Budgets

                                                Chapter 4:  Planning Your Tax Strategy

 

4          9/22                             Chapter 5:  Financial Services

                                                Chapter 6: Introduction to Consumer Credit

 

5          9/29                             Exam 1 Chapters 1-6

 

6          10/6                             Chapter 7:  Choosing Credit

                                                Chapter 8:  Consumer Purchasing

 

7          10/13                           Chapter 9:  Housing

                                                Chapter10:  Home/Auto Insurance

 

8          10/20                           No Class

 

9          10/27                           Chapter 11:  Health and Disability

                                                Chapter 12:  Life Insurance

 

10        11/3                             Exam 2:   Chapter 7 – 12

 

11        11/10                           Chapter 13:  Investing

                                                Chapter 14:  Stocks

 

12        11/17                           Chapter 15:  Bonds

                                                Chapter 16:  Mutual Funds

 

13        11/24                           Chapter  17:  Real Estate

                                                Chapter 18:  Retirement

 

14        12/1                             Chapter 19:  Estate Planning

                                                Course Wrap-up

 

15        12/8                             Exam 3:  Chapters 13-19