Archive for the ‘calculators’
April 23, 2009
By: admin
Category: Dan Rabuzzi, Educational programs, Federal Reserve, Phyllis Frankfort, bank accounts, budgets, business, calculators, charity, cost of living, curriculum, entrepreneurship, games, giving, globalization, mortgages, resources, retirement, student outcomes, taxes, teacher perspectives
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Ep 25: A Fin Lit Finale (for now):
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From the vantage point of over 1 year of research, interviews and analysis of personal financial literacy for k-12 and adult education, Kathy and Mark step back and provide an episode of reflection, high points and next steps. You are invited to join us for this “green room” debriefing as your
Talking Financial Literacy Podcast co-hosts discuss such questions as :
- What were their surprises as they wrap up the first segment of the series?
- How can teachers best make use of the series?
- What needs and gaps did they uncover in the journey of exploring financial literacy resources?
- How has our world of economics and politics transformed during this 12-16 months?
- What could a sequel series of segments offer?
This episode becomes a fun, quick-paced recap of great resources, highlights and packs in more surprises for our listeners, both new and returning! Join us for this comprehensive episode.
Continuing the global conversation about personal
financial literacy for educators on
Talking Financial Literacy Podcast
Resources discussed in this episode:
- Our archive of illustrious guests and episodes
- Convenient: Available on demand: 24/7
- Portable: Take use with you via MP3 player, iPod, cell phone or CD
- Flexible: Use for teacher PD, student enrichment, parent and adult education classes
- We express a special thanks to the McGraw-Hill Companies who have so graciously sponsored this first round of the series as a philanthropic effort. Thank you for offering such a rich resource for teachers, students, community and parents. ~~ Kathy & Mark
- We expect to be providing some more resources on this topic in the near future based on discussions with potential supporters. ~~ Kathy & Mark
- Keep this feed live in your feedreader and podcast reader (iTunes, etc) and check back to the site for updates and announcements!)
- We wish you all success in bringing financial literacy lifelong learning to life for your students!
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
- leaving a comment here on the blog/site
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved.
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Ep 25: A Fin Lit Finale (for now):
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January 29, 2009
By: admin
Category: Elizabeth Zelasko, bank accounts, bankruptcy, budgets, business, calculators, cost of living, credit scores, curriculum, entrepreneurship, globalization, interviews, investments, loans, mortgages, resources, retirement, taxes
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Ep 22 Mortgages:Elizabeth Zelasko [49:13m]:
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This episode features a lively and informative interview with loan manager,
Elizabeth Zelasko of
Countrywide Bank by Talking Fin Lit co-host Dr. Kathy King. Elizabeth provides behind the scenes information that every loan applicant should know about mortgages in general and for the changing landscape of this financial vehicle today. From application fees to points, locking in rates, ARMs, fixed rates, taxes, stated income, credit scores, to “junk fees,” we are here to de-mystify the terms and the process!
You will find many money-saving and powerful suggestions for how to prepare for mortgages as adults and pose it for young people to understand the need to prepare now, for instance: building a credit history, savings and banking literacy!
Mark and Kathy also discuss the details of how to use mortgages and this life need as a vibrant classroom learning focus. Resources, lesson ideas and discussion abound.
Join us as we bring an expert on board to provide complete information in a form for all to understand.
Elizabeth (Lisa) Zelasko contact information:
Countrywide Bank, FSB
Home Loan Consultant
Office: 201-556-4724
Fax: 866-433-2940
Email:
Elizabeth_Zelasko@Countrywide.com
WEB:
http://countrywidelocal.com/elizabethzelasko
Resources for this Episode
- Countrywide Bank, FSB Resources
- Lisa’ Countrywide Bank site with calculators and articles
Mortgage Calculators
- Amortization Tables
-

- Mortgage Calculator shows annual tax and insurance fee, too.
- Credit Worthiness Calculator
- Calculator: “Calculate Your Debt-to-Income Ratio”
Comparing your earnings against your spending , also known as a debt-to-income ratio, is one of the most popular approaches for evaluating if you have too much debt. Lenders, for years, have looked at debt-to-income ratios to get a better grasp on a person’s current financial picture to determine credit-worthiness.
Other Resources
- How to Calculate Your Debt Utilization Ratio
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved.
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Ep 22 Mortgages:Elizabeth Zelasko [49:13m]:
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January 17, 2009
By: admin
Category: bank accounts, bankruptcy, budgets, calculators, charity, cost of living, games, investments, loans, mortgages, resources, student outcomes, teacher perspectives
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Ep 21 Banks Rule!:
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Join Kathy and Mark as the explore the need for teaching and learning which include banking content. While topics related to banking functions are rich for math, economics, critical thinking, social studies and literacy, they are not being used in in most curriculum. In this episode, the Talking Fin Lit hosts discuss the great need, the gaps in understanding and some of the few valuable tools and resources available at this time.
Join us as we explore how to fill this gap in personal financial literacy learning across grades and settings. Examples include p-12 through GED and higher education, a not-to-be-missed episode! Entirely relevant, needed and 21st century literacy focused, from the only podcast series with professional development and resources for educators, students and lifelong learners.
Talking Fin Lit Podcast: Continuing the global conversation about personal financial literacy for educators
Resources discussed in this episode:
Articles:
- Student-Run Bank Branch Opens in New Jersey High School
- Regulators Shutter Silver State Bank
- Published: September 6, 2008 9:26 p.m.
- Agency’s Head Expects Banking’s Crisis to Worsen
- Published: August 26, 2008
- SEC Resource
- Tips for Teaching Students About Investments
- Website: http://www.sec.gov/investor/students/tips.htm
- Kidsbank.com
- TOY ATM Machines
- Children’s Touchscreen ATM Bank, Hammacher Schlemmer
- Preschool level Toy register ( ages 3-7 yrs)
- Toy Cash Register
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved.
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Ep 21 Banks Rule!:
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January 10, 2009
By: admin
Category: bank accounts, budgets, business, calculators, charity, cost of living, giving, globalization, investments, loans, mortgages, resources, taxes, teacher perspectives
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Ep 20 The Tax Person Cometh:
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Mark and Kathy discover an undeveloped territory of urgent need in financial literacy- taxes. Of course we all know we have to come with taxes, but there are few resources available to integrate this real life need into financial literacy settings cross curriculum. Currently, the field is wide open for innovation and new developments here!
— Relevant — Real-Life – Interdisciplinary —
Lifelong Learning — 21st Century Living
— Motivation – Intergenerational —
From planning for college, to tax savings via charitable giving, and medical flex accounts, it is amazing how much people of all ages might be missing opportunities for valuable and vital learning and savings. Join your Talking Financial Literacy co-hosts, Kathy and Mark, for another exciting discussion as they explore the few resources which ARE available and spin the connections that need to be created.
Resources discussed in this episode:
The Money Instructor
Canadian Example of curriculum
Calculators and Widgets from HR Block
Teaching Your Child About Income Taxes
Federal Bank of New York
Turbotax 
Digits- Tips and Podcast
About.com
Additional Resources for this Episode
- IRS - Understanding Taxes
If you go into the teachers part there is an excellent series of lessons on taxes that include why pay taxes, the history of taxes and the nuts and bolts of how to pay taxes. Check out the stuff on the bottom of the following url
http://www.irs.gov/app/understandingTaxes/teacher/whys.jsp
Submitted by listener and teacher
John Kalnberg, teacher, Sage Day School, Rochelle Park, NJ.
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008-2009. All rights reserved.
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Ep 20 The Tax Person Cometh:
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January 07, 2009
By: admin
Category: bank accounts, budgets, calculators, cost of living, credit scores, globalization, loans, resources
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Ep 19 A Nation At Financial Risk:
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A cutting edge episode from Kathy and Mark about how the patterns of Nation at Risk report of 25 years ago relate to our need for financial literacy in our curriculum today. How do we measure up? What is the score? Great resources to help with new perspectives and possibilities. The Talking Financial Literacy Podcast.Join hosts Mark Gura and Dr. Kathleen P. King (Kathy) for another episode of this series which provides professional development and resources for educators, students and lifelong learners. Financial Literacy is Mission Critical Lifelong Learning.
Talking Fin Lit Podcast: Continuing the global conversation about personal financial literacy for educators
Resources discussed in this episode:
Theme: A Nation @ Financial Risk -
The State of Fin Lit in Our Nation’s Schools… Parallel to A Nation at Risk
Education Week’s special coverage marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark report A Nation at Risk, which urged schools to add more learning time to children’s lives. Read about initiatives under way to lengthen the school day or year, and about the latest research on the effects of ex
tra time on learning.
Education Week Special Report_ Several Related Articles
A Related Commentary
by former U.S. Secretary of Education, Riley
Financial literacy should be a standard requirement in public education
Why isn’t the teaching of personal finance basics considered more important than trigonometry, which few of us will ever use again, asks financial-literacy expert Braun Mincher. A solid grounding in financial basics would help young people make better fiscal decisions, Mincher writes. The
Christian Science Monitor (9/23)
Financial-education course aims to better prepare teens for future
A financial-literacy course developed by the National Endowment for Financial Education offers high-schoolers unversed in tending to their own finances an introduction to the fundamentals of money management. Education Week (premium article access compliments of Edweek.org)/Associated Press (8/4)
Report: Many Indiana students poorly prepared to manage money
Six of ten Indiana high-school students failed a national money-management survey, and about the same number say they learned everything they know about the topic at home, according to a new Indiana Youth Institute report. Schools would do well to instruct students on money management, helping them to distinguish between wants and needs and the proper use of debit cards, said Lena Yarian, president of Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana.
The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Ind.) (6/2)

Financial Literacy Education (FLE) in Indiana’s Schools
http://www.doe.in.gov/octe/facs/IndianaFinLitEd-FrontPage.html
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. All rights reserved.
CLICK TO {{{ LISTEN }}}

Ep 19 A Nation At Financial Risk:
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December 31, 2008
By: admin
Category: bank accounts, budgets, calculators, charity, curriculum, games, giving, investments, loans, mortgages, resources, student outcomes
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Ep 18 Hotchalk Meta-Resource for Finanical Literacy:
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This is an action packed episode which highlights a one-stop shop for many resources which
cover new dimensions of financial learning!
From practical money skills to charity as part of the big picture.
Join Kathy and Mark for an exciting exploration of the financial literacy resources at HotChalk. The financial literacy materials we unearth will be sure to enhance any classroom and make the work of educators easier! From childhood to middle school, high school, and even adults, there are valuable lesson plans, activities, instructional articles, and games from which to choose.
Teachers, educators, educational leaders, (and parents) will find many resources to fit age groups and different settings. Items reviewed include not only HotChalk offerings on this topic, but also Karma Tycoon and The Practical Money Skills web-site.
Talking Fin Lit Podcast:
Continuing the global conversation about personal financial literacy for educators
Resources discussed in this episode:
Hotchalk Financial Literacy Resources
-
financial-literacy-for-students-list
- Being financially-savvy is crucial to making the kind of smart money decisions key to ensuring quality of life. Help your students get up to speed on this important life skill with regularly updated K-12 lessons and other resources in this special sponsored section. [from the website]
Karma Tycoon: 
-
http://www.karmatycoon.com/
- Karma Tycoon rocks the gaming world by offering you a thrilling ride through the world of social entrepreneurship as you earn Karma in virtual communities across the US. [From the website]
Practical Money Skills from Visa -
-
http://practicalmoneyskills.com/english/index.php
- In addition to providing online tools and resources via www.practicalmoneyskills.com, Visa has created free classroom material that educators can use to teach personal finance. Available online or in a binder format, the classroom curriculum is free.
- It offers a teacher’s guide, student worksheets and quizzes and interactive brain-teasers that can be played by students via the Web or from a CD-ROM.
- Additionally, Visa donates computer labs, ensuring that schools in need have access to the equipment needed to take advantage of Practical Money Skills for Life. Learn more about Visa’s outreach program. [From the website]
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. All rights reserved.
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Ep 18 Hotchalk Meta-Resource for Finanical Literacy:
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December 16, 2008
By: admin
Category: Educational programs, business, calculators, cost of living, curriculum, globalization, loans, resources, student outcomes, teacher perspectives
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Ep 16 Indy Kids -Learning Personal Finance from Global News:
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One-Of-A-Kind Episode! 
Join us for a one-of-a-kind episode: creating meaningful financial literacy lessons from the global news. Mark finds terrific resources for building creative and powerful lessons about global economics and world hunger through youth based materials, news articles and video reports on the web. Listen in for the compelling experience of a 21st century teacher developing meaning and learning experiences.This is a vibrant illustration of how educators can incorporate critical current events, financial literacy and digital media into active classroom activities. Join us for a journey into what drives food markets, food shortages and pricing. A truly interdisciplinary lesson = literacy, social studies, politics, economics, ethics, values, social responsibility.. oh yes financial literacy!
Resources and Articles
Food Prices
• Hunger & Riots as Food Prices Soar (cover story)
• “Riots, instability spread as food prices skyrocket” (article)
• Why Does Food Cost More? Article North Coast Journal
• Rising food prices take a bigger paycheck bite:
Speculation
• “Speculation and World Food Markets”
Free Trade
• Free Trade Leaves World Food in Grip of Global Giants
• Hoarding Nations Drive Food Costs Ever Higher
Bio Fuels
• AS GLOBAL FOOD COSTS RISE, ARE BIOFUELS TO BLAME?
• Hardy Plant May Ease Biofuels’ Burden on Food Costs
Jatropha -
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. All rights reserved.
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Ep 16 Indy Kids -Learning Personal Finance from Global News:
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December 12, 2008
By: admin
Category: bank accounts, budgets, calculators, cost of living, investments, loans, mortgages, resources, retirement, student outcomes, teacher perspectives
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Ep 15 Get Your Finances Ready for Retirement:
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In this episode, Get Your Finances Ready for Retirement, Mark and Kathy provide a bevy of resources to expand your personal financial literacy and begin to break through the fear of retirement planning. Resources include reports about the needs for diversified retirement funds, planning for retirement, and how to calculate what is needed to live well in retirement.
Most financial planners will tell you that Social Security will not be sufficient for your retirement needs.
How is your nest egg? How will you fund your glory days?
And for teachers, this topic becomes another prime opportunity to open new patterns of communication, place math, government, health and policy issues in real-life contexts, and provide a platform for family dialogue and skill building.
Join us for the discussion about the concerns for retirement, the need and the possibilities for learning. Free online resources never made it so easy to break-through financial barriers. Resources include retirement handbooks, calculators and discussions about alternate retirement income sources.
We emphasize to our listeners, and readers, that we are NOT financial experts; our goal in this series to introduce resources, cast a view of financial literacy as personal financial literacy, and provide free resources for educators.
These episodes are not intended to provide financial advice or counsel. Please consult a certified financial planner who specializes in retirement to assist you in understanding your situation and to plan to meet your needs.
If you take that step or encourage others to do likewise, because of this blog and podcast, we will consider ourselves immensely successful! Thank you!
Resources
PBS Special Report:
Retirement
Nightly Business Report -
ARCHIVE Report
Retirement Planning Calculators(s):
-
AARP Retirement Calculator
- Article on these calculators with links
From USA Today
- Article with somewhat opposing view
Marketwatch article
Reverse Mortgage Information for Seniors
http://www.letyourhomepayyou.com/
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. All rights reserved.
CLICK TO {{{ LISTEN }}}

Ep 15 Get Your Finances Ready for Retirement:
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December 08, 2008
By: admin
Category: budgets, calculators, cost of living, investments, mortgages, resources, retirement, student outcomes, teacher perspectives
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Ep 14 Caring for Your Parents:
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In this episode, Mark and Kathy discuss the educational opportunities related to the stage of life in which we help take care of our parents, grandparents and other older adults. Our approach on this topic is to help educators and students develop a new understanding of personal literacy to reach different areas of their lives. This topic provides rich opportunities for family literacy, intergenerational dialogue, problem solving, research, embedded literacy projects and critical thinking.
While some teachers may have already experienced the need to do this and begun to negotiate the complex world of finance for elders, others may be less aware of the retirement needs, financial picture, living needs, rights and dangers, which surround elder care. This topic is a powerful to become conversant in to assist your students in exploring it.
We emphasize to our listeners that we are not financial experts; our goal in this series to introduce resources, cast a view of financial literacy as personal literacy, and provide ideas and free resources for educators to use across curriculum and grade levels.
These episodes are not intended to provide financial advice or counsel. Please consult a certified financial planner and a lawyer who specializes in elder care to assist you in understanding your situation and to plan to meet your needs. If you take that step or encourage others to do likewise, because of this blog and podcast, we are immensely successful in our mission!
World Health Organization Data 2008
How long will you live in retirement: 20, 30, 40 years?
Check this out: Life expectancy in USA as of 2008
- White women 81, Black women, 77
- White men 76, Black men, 70
Elder Financial Care Resources
Information to help understand the issues related to helping take care of older people in your family.
PBS Handbook Understanding Finances
Resources Directory Elder Financial Care
Financial Abuse
What is it?
Where does it come from?
How to prevent it!
[Click to read an informative document
on this topic]
Senior/Elder Care Financial Services
Comprehensive Solutions for Seniors has helped many families make the most of their financial resources and assets to provide the best possible care for loved ones. Let our experience and knowledge work for you.
http://www.senioreldercare.com/financial_services.htm
Reverse Mortgage Information for Seniors
http://www.letyourhomepayyou.com/
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. All rights reserved.
CLICK TO {{{ LISTEN }}}

Ep 14 Caring for Your Parents:
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October 06, 2008
By: admin
Category: bank accounts, budgets, calculators, cost of living, interviews, investments, loans, mortgages, resources
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Ep 13 Money Managment: Interview with Ms. Joan Sabela [30:19m]:
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Financial insider Ms. Joan Sabella sits down with Mark Gura to discuss how people can wisely and astutely manage their money, and make financial decisions. In this essential episode about personal finance literacy, topics range from credit card choices and use, and benefits of budgets, to mutual funds and risk tolerance surveys. Ms. Sabella has managed MainStay Balanced Fund since its inception in 1989. She is a Managing Director and has been with New York Life and Management LLC since 2000. Resources in this episode include resources for empowering women in finance, risk tolerance calculators and credit card comparison sites.
We predict you may want to share this with the people you care about- warm, friendly conversation enlightening us about critical financial issues.
Ms. Sabella’s Online Financial Counseling Column
“Ask Joan” http://www.newyorklife.com/cda/0,,16592,00.html
Always filled with resources and lively discussion, The Talking Financial Literacy Podcast. Join hosts Mark Gura and Dr. Kathleen P. King (Kathy) for another episode of this series which provides professional development and resources for educators, students and lifelong learners. Financial Literacy is Mission Critical Lifelong Learning.
Resources
- Risk Tolerance Calculators
- Credit Card Comparison Sites
- From MSN Money.com
- Credit cards.com
- Next Advisor (many comparisons, including credit cards)
- Financial Women’s Association
- New York Life and Management LLC
- The Equity Investor’s Group
Contact Us
You may contact Mark and Kathy by
Podcast Feed:
Our podcast feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/talkingfinlit
Talking Financial Literacy is produced in collaboration among the MS in Adult Education and HRD at Fordham University and The McGraw-Hill Companies.
- (C) Talking Financial Literacy is copyrighted by The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2008. All rights reserved.
CLICK TO {{{ LISTEN }}}

Ep 13 Money Managment: Interview with Ms. Joan Sabela [30:19m]:
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