Personal Finance

Les Dlabay teaches in the Department of Economics and Business at Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois. Over the past 25 years, he has taught more than 30 different courses in high school, community college, university, adult education, and teacher preparation programs. Dr. Dlabay has developed a wide variety of textbook materials, student activity guides, instructor manuals, testing programs, audio-visual materials, and software packages in the areas of Personal Finance, Consumer Economics, and International Business. Dr. Dlabay has served as a consultant to corporations, educational institutions, and government agencies. He has presented more than 140 workshops and seminars in over 20 states to encourage teachers to actively involve students in the learning process with video presentations, newsletters, interviews, and Internet research activities. Professor of business at Dallas County Community Colleges, believes that these two words can literally change people's lives. Whether you want to be rich or just manage the money you have, the ability to analyze financial decisions and gather financial information are skills that can always be improved. In addition to writing several textbooks, Dr. Hughes has taught personal finance, introduction to business, business math, small business management, small business finance, and accounting since 1972. He also served as a content consultant for two popular national television series, It's Strictly Business and Dollars & Sense: Personal Finance for the 21st Century, and is the lead author for a business math project utilizing computer-assisted instruction funded by the ALEKS Corporation. He received his BBA from Southern Nazarene University and his MBA and EdD from the University of North Texas. His hobbies include writing, investing, collecting French antiques, art, and travel. Dr. Jack Kapoor is a Professor of Business and Economics in the Business and Services Division. Dr. Kapoor has taught Business and Economics at College of DuPage since 1969. He received his B.A. and M.S. from San Francisco State College and his Ed.D. from Northern Illinois University. Professor Kapoor was recently awarded the Business and Services Division's Outstanding Professor Award for 1999-2000. Dr. Kapoor is known internationally as a co-author of several textbooks including Business: A Practical Approach (Rand McNally), Business (Houghton Mifflin), and Focus on Personal Finance (Richard D. Irwin/McGraw-Hill).

• Part 1 Planning Your Personal Finances 1. Personal Finance Basics and the Time Value of Money Appendix: The Time Value of Money 2. Financial Aspects of Career Planning Appendix: Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews 3. Money Management Strategy: Financial Statements and Budgeting 4. Planning Your Tax Strategy Part 2 Managing Your Personal Finances 5. Financial Services: Savings Plans and Payment Accounts 6. Introduction to Consumer Credit 7. Choosing a Source of Credit: The Costs of Credit Alternatives Part 3 Making Your Purchasing Decisions 8. Consumer Purchasing Strategies and Legal Protection 9. The Housing Decision: Factors and Finances Part 4 Insuring Your Resources 10. Property and Motor Vehicle Insurance 11. Health, Disability, and Long-Term Care Insurance 12. Life Insurance Part 5 Investing Your Financial Resources 13. Investing Fundamentals 14. Investing in Stocks 15. Investing in Bonds 16. Investing in Mutual Funds 17. Investing in Real Estate and Other Investment Alternatives Part 6 Controlling Your Financial Future 18. Starting Early: Retirement Planning 19. Estate Planning Appendixes Appendix A: Education Financing, Loans, and Scholarships Appendix B: Financial Planners and Other Information Sources Appendix C: Consumer Agencies and Organizations Appendix D: Daily Spending Diary