September 2024
Barbara O’Neill, Ph.D., CFP®, AFC®
Distinguished Professor and Extension Financial Management Specialist Emeritus
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
People visit personal finance websites for a variety of reasons including personalized financial calculations, performing certain tasks (e.g., checking a credit report), learning about specific topics, checking financial account balances, reviewing stock market performance, and checking on the status of tax refunds.
The best websites are mobile-friendly with minimal clicks required and relatable content. The Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS) department of Rutgers Cooperative Extension recently held a Wellness Wednesday webinar about useful personal finance websites.
Below is a list of fifteen websites that were discussed during the webinar with a brief description and a link:
AnnualCreditReport.com (Central Source): A webpage to view your credit report or request a mailed copy.
Auto Loan Calculators (Bankrate): A webpage with a variety of calculators related to auto loans and leases.
Compound Interest Calculator (Securities and Exchange Commission): A tool that shows how money can grow.
Credit Card Payoff Calculator (Bankrate): A tool that calculates the monthly payment or time period required to pay off the balance on existing credit card debt.
Debt-to-Income Calculator (Money Management International): A tool showing the percentage of net (take-home) income spent on non-mortgage debt with an explanation of what different percentages mean.
Future Value Calculator (Calculator.net): A tool that calculates the future value of regular savings deposits.
IdentityTheft.gov (Federal Trade Commission): A website with information about identity theft and resources for identity theft victims to report their case and help restore a positive credit history.
Investment Calculator (Bankrate): A tool to calculate investment earnings and progress toward future goals.
Investment Risk Tolerance Assessment (University of Missouri): A well-researched tool with 13 questions designed to assess an individual’s feelings about taking risks (and possibly losing money) while investing.
Irregular Expense Calculator (Calculators.org): A tool to calculate the monthly cost of irregular expenses.
Loan Calculator (Bankrate): A tool that calculates the monthly payment for a loan using three key variables.
Mortgage Prepayment Calculator (HSH): A tool that calculates the amount saved by prepaying principal.
Required Minimum Distribution (Securities and Exchange Commission): A tool to calculate required minimum distributions (RMDs) from tax-deferred retirement savings plans.
Retirement Calculator (FINRA): A tool to calculate how much savings is required for future living expenses.
Tax Withholding Estimator (IRS): A tool to calculate the correct tax withholding for your expected income.
Another website that was discussed during the webinar was Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Personal Finance website. Its content includes home study courses for investors and farmers, video clips, Microsoft Excel templates, lesson plans for financial educators, a free downloadable book, and over a dozen downloadable worksheets.