Assignment 1 - soph's copy

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Michigan State University *

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Course

238

Subject

Finance

Date

Feb 20, 2024

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docx

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7

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HDFS 238 Personal Finance Rubric for Personal Financial Plan – Assignment #1 DUE: February 9th at 11:59 pm EST - Total Points: 30 points Welcome to the first Assignment in HDFS 238. There are three main parts to this assignment: Spending Leaks (5 points) Creating a Personal Budget for after college (12 points) (use the excel spreadsheet!) Exploring Credit (Option A : Analyzing your Personal Credit Report OR Option B : Exploring Credit Card Options) (13 points) Copy and Paste your screenshots into this Word document! You must do all three parts of this assignment to receive full credit. Part #1: Spending Leaks and Financial Goals (5 points) 1) Spending leaks can disrupt a personal budget. Using the chart below, determine a cost for a spending leak that you have and compute the per day savings. My spending leak is: Food Spending Leak Per Day Cost: $10 Spending Leak Per Week Cost = (Per Day Cost *7) $70 Spending Leak Per Month Cost = (Per Day Cost * 30) $300 Spending Leak Per Year Cost = (Per Day Cost * 365) $3,650 I could realistically cut my leak by ____% over a year period which would give me, $_____ Cut by %: 5 Total $ saved: $182 If you could save the dollars saved this year only and apply a 2.4% interest rate to that amount, how much would you have at the end of 20 years? (use the total $ saved from the answer choice above) (To compute this amount, see the Compounding Calculation formula below) 294.125 What could you do with the funds that you were able to save? Pay a quarter of rent Compounding Calculation:
Part #2: Creating a Personal Budget (12 points) Congratulations! You have just graduated with an undergraduate degree from MSU! In preparation, you realize you need to create a financial budget. Apply two of the scenarios below and prepare two potential budgets for life after graduation. Scenarios (must select two of the scenarios below): Don’t have a position when you graduate in your field (need to identify another source of income) Secured a position or paid internship – part time only Full time position in your hometown/Michigan Full time position in another state - low cost community Full time position in another state – high cost community Attending Graduate School or Medical School in the US in the year after graduation Attending Graduate School or Medical School in another country in the year after graduation Attending Graduate School or Medical School in the US in the year after graduation and living at home Step One: Select two scenarios from the list above and develop a budget for each scenario. Think about where you will live and what your job will be. Think about your living arrangements. Will you live at home? Live on your own? With a roommate? Once you have made your decision, B3 (Name), B4 (Scenario #1), B5 (Scenario #2), and the location for each scenario (D4 and D5) Step Two: Complete the spreadsheet (8 points) a.Determine your proposed income for each scenario . Input your annual gross income (yearly income before taxes) in B9 and B10 (and the net income will pre-populate in the spreadsheet.) a. If you are unsure of a proposed salary for a first year position, you can use one of the following: a. BLS Median Wage http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm b. Google first year salary and the career choice and the location where you will be living. Sites like glassdoor.com can be useful. b. Reminder: Gross salary is your annual salary (before taxes are taken out). Net Income is your Gross Income minus taxes (which are typically 33% of your Gross). When developing a workable budget, you will want to use your Net Income. c. For students pursuing graduate school, your income might be covered by loans. Please just note this in the spreadsheet. b. Determine your proposed expenses for each scenario: Identify your monthly expenses for each scenario. When completing this, think about the following: a. Fixed and variable costs you will you have? Will these change based on the
location you choose? How did you determine each cost for the expenses you have listed? b. Use the excel spreadsheet to complete this assignment. As you complete the template- if categories do not relate to you, skip them (keep the total at zero). If additional categories are needed, add them c. To provide proof of your documented expenses, note in cells C18-33 and E18- 33 how you determine the costs that you came up with. You can place a website, insert a picture of screenshot, compute or calculate a figure, or note how you determined the cost. You must calculate, include a website or screenshot for four of your expenses. Remember: Make sure your budget balances. This means your income and expenses should be equal (and you should have a zero balance at the end). If you are going on to pursue a graduate degree or medical school post-graduation, you should design a budget as a graduate student and/or first year resident. Please be realistic in selecting your salary range for your first position. Salaries may vary based on location of where you are living. If you need help in determining this, please let a TA or your instructor know. Reminder- this assignment is not a group assignment. Please do this assignment individually and make sure it is your own work. Any questions, please contact Dr. Koochel at koochele@msu.edu or the TAs. Thank you! Have fun! Step Three: What did you learn? (4 points) Develop a concluding paragraph and submit in D2L. In this discussion, include the following: What is your overall thoughts about each of the scenarios? Do you have major concerns? Were there any surprises? What is your preferred option based on each of the scenarios? Discuss the personal finance implications of making a budget. Why is a budget a necessary component? How can a budget support you in the future? Grading: Total of 12 points for completing Part #2 of this Assignment. This includes: A completed spreadsheet with the appropriate documentation using the excel spreadsheet template for two different budgets with screenshots as proof for at least 2 expenses per budget option (4 screenshots/websites/calculations needed)) If no proof is included included—you will not receive points for this portion of the assignment. Screenshots can be inserted into your paper or attached as pictures in the Assignments dropbox in D2L. Concluding Paragraph (submitted as a Word document. Can be the same page as the spending leaks chart)
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Part Three: Understanding Credit Understanding your financial situation is important when you are trying to prepare for your future. Creating an awareness of your credit history and available opportunities for saving will help you be in control and understand your financial picture. For Part Three – you must choose to complete either option A or B …………………………………………………………………………….. Option A: Analyzing your personal credit report (for students who have an established credit history only!) Question #2 – Option A is asking you to review a personal credit report. To do this, visit: www.annualcreditreport.com (This website is the preferred website to use. Once at the site, you will be asked to select a report from Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. Choose one and follow the prompts to pull your report.) Please beware of offers for free credit reports that are not on this website. They are not always free. Be prepared – when pulling your report from this website, you will be asked confidential questions that only you will know how to answer. Have your account numbers ready in case you are asked a question about them. This is to protect your privacy. If you fail to view your credit report from one of the credit bureaus, complete option B . Please note: your FICO score costs extra. You do not need to know or pull your FICO score to complete this assignment. *** If you do not have an established credit history (i.e. this means you do not have a credit card, student loan, auto loan, etc. in your own name) or you have difficulty in pulling your personal credit report, please complete Option B. Directions for Option A: Format: To satisfy the requirements of this portion of the assignment – you need to: Step One: Visit www.annualcreditreport.com and obtain a copy of your personal credit report a. Print off the report for your use. (Once you leave the site, you lose the report.) b. Take a picture or scan the first page of the credit report or the credit bureau banner and submit with assignment. We need documentation that you pulled your report but do not want your confidential report. (3 points) Step Two: Review and Analyze Your Personal Credit Report: a. Write a one page well-written paper reflecting on the lessons learned and general experience of pulling your personal credit report. i. Discuss the importance of a credit report, your reaction to the process of pulling your credit report, and anything that may have surprised you about the type of information that is collected in a credit report. (5points) ii. Discuss the implications of the type of information that is included in a credit report and the ramifications of what could occur if your
information was affected in the Equifax Data Breach. What steps will you take to ensure you do not become a victim of identity theft? (5 points) Question #2 – Option B: Analyzing Credit Card Offers (13 points) When making any financial decision – it is important to shop around. Determining the best credit card option for you is no different. For students who do not want to complete Question #1- Option A (Analyzing Personal Credit Report), please complete Option B. Directions for Option B: 1) Identifying Credit Card Options: Find three different credit card offers (e.g., online, local financial institutions, department stores, travel cards, etc.). 2) Comparing Credit Card Options: Compare the credit card offers by completing the attached chart to understand each of the credit card options and their important features. (5 points) 3) Analyzing Credit Card Options: Write a one page well-written paper summarizing what you learned by comparing the different credit options. In your discussion, identify the positive and negative attributes of each card and identify which card you would choose (and why) if you were choosing a credit card. (5 points) 4) Proof of Credit Cards: Take a screenshot of each of the credit card offers (that includes a majority of the general information included in the chart below.) (3 points) Option B: Credit Card Comparison Worksheet Credit Card Feature Name of Card #1: Delta American Express Name of Card #2: Target Credit Card Name of Card #3: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards What is the APR (annual percentage rate) and is it fixed or variable? 20.24% to 29.24% based on your creditworthines s and it is variable 27.15% and is variable 0% intro on purchases for 15 months then 19.24% to 29.24% and variable Is there a penalty APR (if so, what) and are their trigger events when it is charged? 29.74% If you make one or more late payments or your payment is returned by your payment - n/a n/a
Annual fee (if so, what?) $0 for first year, then $99 n/a n/a Late fee (if so, what?) Up to $40 Up to $41 n/a Other Fees? If so, what? Cash advance – either Returned payment – up to $30 3% cash advance fee Rewards for use Take 15% off when booking Award Travel with miles. First checked bag free 2 miles per dollar spent No foreign transaction fees $100 delta flight credit - 5% off every purchase at Target Free 2-day shipping Special items and offers More return time Earn 2% on dining and gas purchases and 1% everywhere else outside of target $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchases, every day 6 months complimentary uber one membership statement credits Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels & rental cars
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HDFS 238 Personal Finance Rubric for Personal Financial Plan – Assignment #1 DUE: February 9 at 11:59 pm EST - Total Points: 30 points Part #1 Spending Leak Computation and Goal Requirement Points Possible Did you complete? Spending Leak Chart – completely filled in 5 x Part #2 Creating a Personal Budget Requirement Points Possible Did you complete? A completed, balanced monthly budget using the excel spreadsheet template for two scenarios with noted source/documentation. Concluding Paragraph addressing the questions posed 8 4 x Part #3 Understanding Credit (Complete either Option A or Option B) Option A – Analyzing Your Personal Credit Report (13 points) Requirement Points Possible Did you complete? Attached the first page of your credit report or credit bureau banner 3 Write a one-page well-written paper reflecting on the lessons learned and general experience of pulling your personal credit report. Discuss the importance of a credit report, your reaction, and anything that may have surprised you. (5 points) Discuss the implications and the ramifications. What steps will you take to ensure you do not become a victim of identity theft? (5 points) 10 OR Question #3B - Analyzing Credit Card Offers (13 points) Requirement Points Possible Did you complete? Completed Credit Card Comparison Worksheet 5 Write a one-page paper well written paper summarizing what you learned by comparing the different credit options. Identify the positive and negative attributes of each card and which card you would choose (and why) if you were choosing a credit card. Screenshot of each of the credit card offers 5 3 Excel template, accompanying paper, and screenshots should be submitted online via the D2L Assignment Dropbox (click in D2L on the Assessment tab and then Assignments. Place in the Assignment #1 dropbox.) Questions? – please contact your course instructors! Good luck! – Dr. Koochel