Perks for now and later

Check out the student guide that accompanies this post:

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When job hunting, teens eager for their first job, are quick to take what is offered- anything to get that first paycheck.  Likewise, soon out of college, young adults intent on pinning down a professional job to make use of their college degree and pay off that school debt, will take the first job that comes their way. Fearful of letting any opportunity be a missed opportunity, many adults are not taking their time to truly evaluate job offers that come their way. 

Many career opportunities present themselves with a variety of benefits that exceed the paycheck.  Fringe benefits like a company car, health insurance, travel per diem, access to a gym or even discounts with phone companies are common in attempt to not only lure quality workers but retain them.  Studies show that 30% of individuals do not know if their employer provides the benefits of a retirement plan.  Employers are only 70% of the way to clear communication regarding financial or retirement benefits with their workers. Is it the job of the company to furnish ample information to educate their wage earner regarding fringe benefits and retirement plans? Absolutely! However, it would be remiss to not hold the laborer responsible as well.

When offered a job opportunity, do not miss out on considering fringe benefits as payment too!  Employees at any age should take charge of their retirement future, near or far, and investigate what is best for them.  Putting money aside from every paycheck, paying yourself first is the way to get ahead. 

Read the attached article.  
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Why do you think that 30% of those surveyed do not know what benefits their employer offers? Does this surprise you? Why or why not? What benefits are important to you? Make a list of benefits that would lure you away from one employer to another.  Use Fidelity’s article to think about how much money you should reserve from your monthly paycheck for retirement. 

Conduct more research on fringe benefits offered by employers. Design a half page flyer to educate college students on what to research when considering fringe benefits. On the back of the flyer, explain how a 401K works.

Florida Financial Literacy Standards:
SS.912.FL.1.1: Discuss that people choose jobs or careers for which they are qualified based on non-income factors, such as job satisfaction, independence, risk, family, or location.
SS.912.FL.1.3: Evaluate ways people can make more informed education, job, or career decisions by evaluating the benefits and costs of different choices.
SS.912.FL.3.7: Explain how employer benefit programs create incentives and disincentives to save and how an employee’s decision to save can depend on how the alternatives are presented by the employer.
SS.912.FL.6.3: Describe why people choose different amounts of insurance coverage based on their willingness to accept risk, as well as their occupation, lifestyle, age, financial profile, and the price of insurance.

Literacy Standards
LAFS.K12.R.1.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
LAFS.K12.W.3.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.