Curriculum
Immigrants and refugees have an overwhelming need for financial literacy and loan services with mentoring and credit reporting to ensure their financial stability and inclusion. Differences in culture, language barriers, lack of credit and opportunities to build credit, and limited exposure to banking systems in their countries of origin can present significant challenges, regardless of education level or income.
Project Prosper strives to empower recent immigrants by educating them on the American financial system. We believe in the value of both traditional education and experiential learning and have created a comprehensive approach to providing our services. We reach our participants through the following programs
Core Modules
Financial Institutions 101
Course Segments
- Banks vs. Credit Unions
- Choosing the best Institution
- Check Cashing Services & Cash Advances
- Non-traditional banking types
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Budgeting Basics
Course Segments
- What is a budget
- Creating a budget
- Budgeting effectively
- Navigating budget short-falls
- Smart shopping tips
- Understanding free trials
Credit Cards
Course Segments
- Credit Cards vs. Debit Cards
- Using credit cards on-line
- Preventing unauthorized transactions
- Promotions and offers
- Not paying your bills affects your credit
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Elective Modules
Checking and Savings
Course Segments
- Types of accounts
- Choosing the best Institution
- How to best use accounts
- Writing a check
- Overdraft protection
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Loans/Predatory Lending
Course Segments
- What is a loan
- Types of loans
- Applying for a loan
- Predatory lending
- Warning signs of too much debt
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Basics of Buying a Car
Course Segments
- Budgeting for a car
- Where do I buy a car
- Buying a new vs. used car
- Leasing a car
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Protecting your assets
Course Segments
- Banks vs. Credit Unions
- Choosing the best Institution
- Check Cashing Services & Cash Advances
- Non-traditional banking types
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*Credit Scores & Reports
Course Segments
- Good credit vs. Bad credit
- Importance of credit reports
- Tips for good credit
- How to raise a bad credit score
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Understanding Payroll
Course Segments
- W2, W4, and 1099 forms
- Direct deposit
- Taxes and how to file
- Paystubs (hourly, salary and overtime)
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Building Wealth
Course Segments
- Banks vs. Credit Unions
- Choosing the best Institution
- Check Cashing Services & Cash Advances
- Non-traditional banking types
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Protecting Yourself
Course Segments
- Preventing fraud and Identity theft
- Detecting fraud and identity theft
- Are you a victim of identity theft?
- Frauds and scams
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Home Buying 101
Course Segments
- Should you buy a home
- The home buying process
- Down payment assistance
- The real cost of buying a home
- Protecting your investment
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