We’re excited to introduce three new additions to our Personal Finance Curriculum Library, focused on topics students will encounter early in their working lives: 401(k) Plans, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRA), and Paying for Healthcare using FSA, HSA, and HRA.
While these topics may seem like “future” concerns, many of the most important financial decisions students will make happen within their first few years of working. These lessons are designed to help students understand those decisions before they have to make them.
Our 401(k) lesson introduces workplace retirement plans, including employer matching, vesting periods, tax advantages, and automatic contributions. Students see how these plans work in practice and why contributing early can make a major difference over time.
The IRA lesson builds on this by exploring individual retirement savings options. Students learn the differences between Traditional and Roth IRAs, how tax benefits work, and how these accounts fit alongside employer-sponsored plans .
Finally, our healthcare lesson helps students navigate the often confusing world of FSA, HSA, and HRA accounts. It breaks down how each program works and how they can be used to manage healthcare costs more effectively.
Across all three lessons, the focus is on real-world application. Students explore how these programs actually work, what choices they will need to make, and how those choices can impact their long-term financial well-being.
Each lesson also wraps up with a short pop quiz to reinforce key concepts and check for understanding.
We hope these additions help your students build a stronger foundation in managing workplace benefits, planning for the future, and making informed financial decisions.
Happy Learning!
– The PersonalFinanceLab Team