Financial Literacy and Future Planning - AmeriCorps Member Training Series 2022-2023

Serve Wisconsin offers a variety of trainings for its AmeriCorps members and programs, including a thematic training series for AmeriCorps members throughout their term of service. During the 2022-2023 program year, the training series will focus on topics surrounding financial literacy and future planning.

Information and recordings from prior training series can be found at the listed links to the right..

Registration Information

AmeriCorps members and program staff can register for the training series by completing the online Financial Literacy and Future Planning Training Series Registration Form. You will need to complete the form to receive information on how to access the online training sessions and additional materials.

Series overview

The Financial Literacy and Future Planning is designed to address numerous topics that AmeriCorps members will encounter during and after their service, including general financial literacy, credit and lending, banking, benefits analysis, taxes and tax credits, and using the Segal Education Award following your AmeriCorps service.

The online training sessions are scheduled for the following dates from 10:00-11:30 a.m. Recordings of the sessions will be made available for those unable to attend one or more of them live. Additional information will be posted about these sessions in the future.

Friday, October 28: Financial Fundamentals   Session #1 Recording / Session #1 Materials

  • Start from where you are - what are the smart money moves you can start making now

  • Bank accounts

  • Renters and health insurance

  • Understanding how credit works

  • The Pros and Cons of credit cards

Friday, November 18:  Wait, wait- do tell me: discussing how financial things work Session #2 Recording / Session #2 Materials

  • Payroll taxes, federal and state withholding

  • 401(k)'s, Roth and Traditional IRA's

  • The basics of health insurance

  • Discussing the nuts and bolts of how things work

Friday, February 3, 2023:  An Introduction to Taxes with a focus on issues of importance to AmeriCorps Members Session #3 Recording / Session #3 Materials

  • How to File- Tax documents and forms needed to file federal income

  • Taxes. Review the Form 1040 and supporting schedules

  • Review the tax benefits of Education/ IRS Publication 970

  • Compare the American Opportunity Credit and Life Time Learning Credit

Friday, May 5, 2023:  Overview of the Education Award Session #4 Recording / Session #4 Materials

  • Possible uses- COA at a Title IV School

  • Examine the rules regarding use of the Education Award

  • Compare to Loan repayment

  • Review the types of loans the Ed Award can be used to repay and the time frame to use the Ed Award

  • Discuss the benefits of lump sum payments vs. periodic payments