Go to your local library’s online catalog to find many books, e-books, magazines, e-magazines and audio books available.
Topics
General Financial Fitness Resources
America Saves (from Consumer Federation of America strategies for budgeting and saving)
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information (money & credit, homes & mortgages, health & fitness, jobs & making money, privacy, identity & online security)
FINRA’s Market Data Center – Investor Data (assist investors with market and investment research, both through the market data information and provides calculator and tools for retirement, risk assessment, etc.)
Get Smart about Money (online courses, worksheets and quizzes)
Money Smart Computer-Based Instruction (FDIC) (available en Español)
My Money Five (discusses the five principles of money management – earn, save & invest, protect, spend and borrow)
MyMoney.gov (personal finance portal of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission)
Oklahoma Money Matters (personal finance education program and resources)
Money Smart (popular course about the basics of personal financial management)
Credit Reports and Credit Scores (Q&A consumer guide from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors)
Ask CFPB (impartial answers to your money questions from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
EBSCO Online Resources (EBSCOhost) has these databases:
- MasterFILE Premier [which includes magazines such as, Money and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance]
- Regional Business News
- Newspaper Source Plus
- Small Business Reference Center
Digital Prairie was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.
Investing
Investor Education Modules (through FINRA)
Investor.gov (U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission – lessons on investing – compound interest calculator)
SaveAndInvest.org (guidance on tracking spending, controlling debt, saving, protecting your money)
FINRA’s Investor Site (excellent place to begin when learning to invest, prepared by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority)
Roadmap to Saving and Investing (interactive site from the Securities and Exchange Commission covering all the basics)
How Stock Markets Work (explanation of how the markets work from the Securities and Exchange Commission)
Fast Answers for Investing (searchable database from the Securities and Exchange Commission)
How to Research Individual Stocks – Tutorial
Free Access to Corporate Information Filed with the SEC
Beginner’s Guide to Financial Statements
What to Do If a Broker Calls to Pitch an IPO
Analyzing Analyst Recommendations
Brass Business Guide, Company and Industry Research
International Real Estate Network With Free Access to Market Research Reports
U.S. Census Bureau’s Industry Statistics Portal
Electronically Buy and Redeem Treasury Securities Directly from the U.S. Department of the Treasury
How to Invest
Learning to Invest – Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Investor Site
Roadmap to Saving and Investing (interactive site from the Securities and Exchange Commission covering all the basics)
401k Investing Guide and Fund Analyzer
How Stock Markets Work (explanation of how the markets work from the Securities and Exchange Commission)
Learning How to Invest – Fast Answers
eXtension – Free Online Courses on Basic Investing Concepts
eXtension – Investing in Your Future
Free Webinars on Personal finance
Five Questions to Ask Before You Invest
Money Management Game | Moneytopia
Banks or Credit Union
BankFind (identify banks insured by the Federal DIC-insured banking institutions)
Comparing Banks and Credit Unions
EDIE (accurate electronic deposit insurance estimator – FDIC)
MyCreditUnion.gov (National Credit Union Administration – regulates credit unions and manages deposit insurance)
Saving
Choose to Save (for long-term personal security – Employee Benefit Research Institute)
SaveAndInvest.org/ (guidance on tracking spending, controlling debt, saving, protecting your money)
Credit
How Your Credit Score Impacts Your Financial Future
Money and Credit (basics of borrowing, credit and debt management)
Credit and Loans (getting credit, credit reports, credit and debit cards, loans)
Checking Your Credit Report (en Español)
Credit Reports and Credit Scores (Federal Reserve)
Where Do Credit Bureaus Get Their Information?
360 Degrees of Financial Literacy (American Institute of CPAs – credit card optimizer and accelerated debt payoff )
Ask Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (find answers to questions on a variety of credit topics)
Federal Government Loans (small business, agricultural, student, veteran, housing)
Credit Cards for Bad Credit (find out more about credit cards available if you have a low credit score)
Home Purchase or Rent?
Rent vs. Buy (Freddie Mac)
Rent vs. Buy Tax Savings Calculator
Choose the Mortgage Option for You
Know Before You Owe – Mortgages (en Español and many other languages)
How Can I Figure Out If I Can Afford to Buy a Home?
Answers to Questions about Mortgages
Shopping for Your Home Loan – Settlement Cost Booklet
Issues Relating to Home Loans (Federal Reserve)
Reverse Mortgage Counseling Services
Know Your Options (Fannie Mae)
Seniors
Financial Protection for Older Americans
Money Smart for Older Americas
Planning for Retirement: Before You Claim
Estate Planning
Glossaries of Terms for Estate Planning
Estate Planning: Wills, Trusts & Probate
When Does Estate Planning End? (Video)
Too Busy to Make a Will? Think Again
Guidelines for Individual Executors and Trustees
How an Estate is Settled If There is No Will: Intestate Succession
National Institute on Aging On-line Publications- Advance Care Planning
Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) (fact sheets)
Where to Find My Important Papers (Worksheet Template)
Making a Will: Are Lawyers Optional?
Living Wills and Medical Powers of Attorney
Simple Will Form (Sample from California)
Retirement
Ballpark E$timate® (helps you quickly identify approximately how much you need to save to fund a comfortable retirement – Choose to Save®)
Planning for Retirement: Before You Claim
Social Security Administration Retirement Planner
Prepare for Your Financial Needs Primer
Other Retirement Planning Websites
Employment to Retirement- Resource on Retirement Plans
Time Is On Your Side-Retirement Tips for Young Employees
Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning
Retirement Plans for Self-Employed People
Choosing a Retirement Solution for Your Small Business
Guidebook to Help Late Savers Prepare for Retirement
Fast Answers on Investing for Retirement
Early Retirement Seminars 101-Retirement Scams
Planning for Retirement
Employment to Retirement (retirement investing questions answered by the Securities and Exchange Commission)
401(k) Investing (comprehensive guide from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority)
Retirement Planner (site from the Social Security Administration to help beginners get started)
Ballpark E$timate (calculate how much you need to save for retirement)
Time Is on Your Side (retirement savings tips for young employees)
Social Security
Social Security Benefit Planners
Social Security Benefit Calculators
When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits
Are You Ready to Apply for Your Benefits?
What Documents Will You Need When You Apply?
Getting Starting with Medicare
Suspending Retirement Benefits Payments
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015-“claim and suspend” spousal benefits
Important Information for Same-Sex Couples Guide
Publication 915-Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Benefits
Are My Benefits Taxable? An Interactive Tax Assistant
My Retirement Paycheck-Income Guide
Service Members and Veterans
SaveAndInvest.org (guidance on tracking spending, controlling debt, saving, protecting your money – special section for military families)
Resources for Servicemembers and Veterans
SaveAndInvest.org, Military Center (tools and information especially for military service members and their families)
Education Benefits for Veterans (comprehensive information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Students & Education
Student Aid (information on grants, loans, work/study)
Students and Young Consumers (information on understanding loan repayment options)
Money Smart for Young People (different modules for kindergarten through 12th grade)
Government Loans for Education
FAFSA.gov (the starting point for seeking financial aid for higher education)
Scholarship Search Tool (noncommercial site sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor)
Smart Saving for College (resource from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority that is particularly strong on tax-advantaged college saving options)
U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs-Education and Training Section
U.S. Department of Education-Grants and Scholarships Section
Department of Labor-Free Scholarship Search Tool
Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Federal Trade Commission: Choosing a Vocational School
Department of Labor’s Career Search Tool
Kids and Money
The National Center for Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five (PDG B–5 TA Center) has released a new resource. The Early Childhood Finance Toolkit is intended for those within states, territories, and Tribes who are responsible for thinking about financing early childhood (EC) programs.
Creating and sustaining a coordinated EC system requires a focus on sustainable financing. The Early Childhood Finance Toolkit is a collection of tools, guidance, and resources for key EC stakeholders within states, territories, and Tribes who want to learn more about different aspects of financing. This toolkit is curated to provide these key stakeholders with the guidance and support they need as they develop a more comprehensive and aligned fiscal system in multiple EC settings.
Allowances – The Issues – Tips for Parents
Allowances Trial and Error Money Management – Tips for Parents
Answer Teen Questions about Paycheck
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (questions about teaching children financial concepts)
Young Children and Money Skills
Econ Lowdown and Personal Finance
Financial Forms Explained – Personal Finance
Gen i Revolution (personal finance simulation game from the Council for Economic Education)
Help Teens Start a Credit History
Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy
Love Your Money (college students and money management)
Money Management for Children (kindergarten through fifth grade)
Money Smart for Young People (different modules for kindergarten through 12th grade)
My Green (Native American youth on managing trust funds)
National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education
Occupational Outlook Handbook (career information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor)
Online Personal Finance Game (middle and high school students)
Resources for Parents and Caregivers
Should I Request Credit Reports for My Children
Social Security – Kids and Families
Social Security Numbers for Children
Teens and Money – Save and Invest
Teens and Young Adults (activities include college scorecard, family members’ jobs, what’s on a stub)
Treasury Direct KIDS (video and games for children)
Understanding Taxes for Students
World-of-Cents Game (for ages five and up to teach the value of money)
Difficult Times
Benefit and Assistance Programs (Your Path to Government Benefits)
Benefit Finder (Your Path to Government Benefits)
Benefits – Frequently Asked Questions (Benefits.gov)
Complaints about Financial Products or Services
Coping with Debt (Federal Trade Commission)
Credit Counseling Services by State (U. S. Dept. of Justice)
Find a Housing Counselor (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
FloodSmart.gov (National Flood Insurance Program)
Housing Finance Agencies by State (National Council of State Housing Agencies)
Job Loss — Job Dislocation: Managing the Financial Impact of Unexpected Job Loss (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) – In Español
Job Seekers/Unemployed (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
Making Home Affordable (U.S. Dept. of Treasury) In Español
Mortgage Help (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
Rental Assistance (U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)
Retirement Planner (Social Security Administration)
Food
Food and Nutrition SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture)
Preparedness
America’s PrepareAthon (FEMA – increase community preparedness and resilience)
Disaster Master – preparedness game for children (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
Ready.gov (prepare, plan, stay informed – U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security)
Student Loans
Avoiding Default (Federal Student Aid)
Deferment and Forbearance (Federal Student Aid)
Forgiveness, Cancellation, and Discharge (Federal Student Aid)
Student Loans (how to repay your federal student loans – Federal Student Aid)
Fraud Prevention
SaveAndInvest.org, Fraud Center (interactive tools and information to counter fraud tactics)
Identity Theft Guide (practical information and step-by-step guidance from the Federal Trade Commission)
OnGuardOnline.gov (federal government website dedicated to online safety)
Scams & Safety (FBI site to help consumers avoid victimization)
Eldercare Locator (service of the U.S. Administration on Aging to connect families to help for older adults)
Insurance
360 Degrees of Financial Literacy
Medline Plus – Health Insurance
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Affordable Care Act Insurance and www.healthcare.gov/lower-costs/
(Please note: Be aware that some of these sites may be commercial and designed for selling services. Any reference obtained from this server to a specific product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by us.)