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Now is the perfect time for adults to reflect on their own educational experiences.
Not only is it quarterly tax time, but it’s also the start of the new school year, which gives us all a great excuse to think about our (hopefully happy) formative schooling years.
And for most of you, this means also reflecting on the fact that you probably never got a formal education in finance. In fact, as Forbes previously reported, just 17 states in the United States require high school students to take a course in personal finance.
So, really, it’s up to you to further your own personal finance education. The good news is you don’t need to enroll in college or shell out big bucks for a class to better yourself. Indeed, there are a plethora of online platforms that are totally free and waiting for you to come and learn.
“Over the next decade, education as we know it is poised for some major changes,” Matt Cooper, chief operating officer at Skillshare, told Forbes. Cooper further explained that Skillshare often sees adult learners in the form of “traditional workers, freelancers and entrepreneurs looking for solutions to maintain their expertise and grow their skills over time to keep pace.”
Skillshare offers users access to more than 1,000 free classes, however, they aren’t alone. Others such as Udemy, Khan Academy and even several universities are providing their finance lectures and classes online for free.
“We are committed to equality and access to education irrespective of gender, geography, economic status or any other barriers that can so often stunt potential,” John Murray from Alison, another platform offering free classes, shared with Forbes.
Here are five completely free classes you should take this fall to improve your financial skills and continue your education forever.
Accounting in Only ONE Hour! A Brief Introduction, Skillshare
As Skillshare described on its site, “With this class you will learn the basics of accounting and you can complete it in only one hour.” You’ll also learn the “accounting equation,” what t-accounts are, how to create a simple balance sheet and how to create a simple income statement.
Introduction to Life Insurance and Retirement Savings, Alison
More than 2,500 students have taken this class, which teaches the importance of having adequate life insurance and retirement savings. As the site described, this free online personal finance course “introduces and explains the basic forms of both life insurance and retirement savings with an emphasis on its application in the U.S.” It’s the perfect class for anyone planning their lifetime personal finances and could help all learners understand the big picture for financial freedom.
[Source”CNBC”]
