Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Budget Activity

Budgeting, part 1:  Income
What kind of career do you want? ____________________________________
Go to bls.gov to find the following information:
How much does that career makes annually? ____________________________________________
How much education will be required in order to be qualified for this career?
                #of years of post-secondary education/degree needed: _________________________________
Now, take out the tax owed by using the following table: (from http://taxes.about.com/od/Federal-Income-Taxes/qt/Tax-Rates-For-The-2012-Tax-Year.htm)
·   10% on taxable income from $0 to $8,700
·   15% on taxable income over $8,700 to $35,350
·   25% on taxable income over $35,350 to $85,650
·   28% on taxable income over $85,650 to $178,650
·   33% on taxable income over $178,650 to $388,350
·   35% on taxable income over $388,350.
What is your income after tax, your disposable income? _______________________________________
Divide your disposable income by 12 to find your monthly take home pay: ________________________

Budgeting, part 2:  Necessities
What type of post-secondary education is required?  Circle/highlight which of the loans you will have taken out in order to pay for this education (these are the average loans across the country):


Undergraduate Education Debt
(Excluding Parent PLUS Loans)
 Institution Level & Control
Cumulative Debt
4-year Total
$22,656
4-year Public
$19,839
4-year Private Non-Profit
$27,349
4-year Private For-Profit
$24,635
2-year Total
$12,307
2-year Public
$10,444
2-year Private Non-Profit
$14,790
2-year Private For-Profit
$17,310
< 2-year Total
$10,172
< 2-year Public
$10,321
< 2-year Private Non-Profit
$10,990
< 2-year Private For-Profit
$10,123
Tables from (http://www.finaid.org/loans/)

All Students
All Education Debt
(Grad & Undergrad)
Graduate & Professional Degree Programs
Cumulative Debt
Master's Degree
$40,208
Doctoral Degree
$58,967
Professional Degree
$98,711
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
$41,676
Master of Social Work (MSW)
$49,017
Master of Science (MS)
$40,362
Master of Arts (MA)
$40,500
Master of Education or Teaching
$35,946
PhD
$45,455
EdD
$44,880
Law (LLB or JD)
$92,937
Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine
$127,272
Pharmacy (PharmD)
$81,838


The current interest rate on such loans is currently 6.8% (http://www.finaid.org/loans/scripts/interest.cgi).  The average length of these loans is 120 months. 
Use this information, and go to http://www.aie.org/paying-for-college/finance-tools/College-Loans-A-Cost-Calculator.cfm to find your monthly payment for your student loan:
                                                                                                                                                                ___________________
Find an apartment to rent.  How much per month will it cost? __________________________________
(Found at: ___________________________________________________________________________)
For utilities (heat, electricity, plumbing, etc.), we will set everyone at a monthly rate of                  $100
Choose one of the following health insurance plans and divide the rate by 12 to find your monthly expense:  (from http://www.maine.gov/pfr/insurance/consumer/indhlth.htm#6 )
Plans
Standard Plan A
Individual Deductible
$250
$500
$1,000
$1,500
MEGA Life & Health Insurance Co. Telephone Number* 800-527-5504, Option 1 “Insureds”. When it asks for your Insurance ID #, verbally say “Representative.” The recording will then respond by saying, “did you say representative, if so press 1”. Press 1.
Single Premium

Nonsmoker
$1,279
$1,268
$1,245
$1,222
Smoker
$1,497
$1,483
$1,457
$1,430
Family Premium

Nonsmoker
$3,191
$3,164
$3,108
$3,052
Smoker
$3,626
$3,595
$3,531
$3,468
Sample rates are based on a community rate.
A one-time application fee of $50 is added to the above rates.


                                                                                                Health Insurance: _________________

Find a car to buy or lease.  What kind of car? __________________ Monthly payment: ______________
(Found at: _________________________________________________________________________)
http://www.billdodgeautogroup.com, http://www.leeauto.com/, & http://www.primemotorgroup.com are all in the area and have monthly quotes available online.
Circle one: If you have a truck or SUV, plan on spending at least $150 on gas, for a sedan, plan on $100

Find a car insurance policy at www.geico.com (use a fake name & the address of your fake home, also a DOB that makes you at least 18) for you pretend car. How much per month? _____________________

For groceries, plan on spending at least $60/ week.  How much is that per month? __________________

Now, find a cell phone plan.  How much per month? __________________________________________
(Found at: _________________________________________________________________________)

Now, find an internet/cable plan.  How much per month? ______________________________________
(Found at: _________________________________________________________________________)

You should save or invest at least 20% of your income for EMERGENCIES & RETIREMENT.                                                                                                                                              How much savings/month? ________________
ADD UP YOUR MONTHLY NECESSITY EXPENSES:
student loan payment
$
rent
 $
utilities
 $
health insurance
 $
car lease
 $
gas
$
car insurance
 $
groceries
 $
phone
 $
internet/cable
 $
savings/investment
 $

TOTAL NECESSITIES: $______________________ /month
Now, subtract your monthly cost of your necessities from your monthly disposable income to find your discretionary income:
________________________        ––        ________________________      =         ____________________
(Monthly disposable income)    (minus)   (Monthly cost of necessities)   (equals)  (discretionary income)


What could/should you buy with your discretionary income? ___________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

List at least three emergencies that you should have money set aside for:_________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What was your largest monthly expense? __________________________________________________

How could you reduce this? ______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What expense(s) surprised you the most?  Why? _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What expenditures did you have to reduce to pay your other monthly expenses? ___________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What has this activity taught you? _________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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