Personal Finance Tips for New Teachers

I was lucky. As a 25-year-old teaching high school economics many moons ago, I accidentally learned a lot about personal finance. I’ve carried these lessons with me to this day. And though I feel fortunate to have taught a course that included financial literacy, I wish someone had advised me and my colleagues more explicitly about this important subject at the outset of our careers. 

With that in mind, here’s what I believe all educators should know about managing their money and achieving their financial goals.

Saving for Retirement

Try to save 10 percent of your income each month for retirement. This may be difficult, but time is your financial superpower. Play around with a compound interest calculator and see for yourself. No less than Albert Einstein apocryphally said, “Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe.” Though young teachers may not have much money, they do have time—and they should harness it to their advantage. 

You’ll invest in a 403(b) plan, which is a tax-deferred retirement savings account for public school teachers much like the private sector 401(k). Crucially, you get to choose where exactly you put your money. Ask your district’s business office for their list of approved vendors. Selecting a 403(b) provider can be complicated, but know there are many good options, and you have the freedom to decide. 

In addition to defined contribution plans like 401(k)s and 403(b)s, most public school teachers also automatically receive defined benefit plans, known colloquially as pensions.

In retirement, your pension will pay out a percentage of your salary for as long as you live. That percentage is largely based on your age, your years of service, and an average of your highest years’ salaries. Thus working for as many years as you can will generally maximize your pension since the system rewards longevity. And when combined with the 10 percent you’ve been saving in your 403(b) account, you will have a great shot at retiring comfortably and maintaining your quality of life. 

Saving for a Home Down Payment

Buying a home can seem out of reach for many teachers, but it’s not impossible. In addition to the 10 percent for retirement, save another 10 percent for big midcareer expenses like a down payment.

And while you’re saving, put at least some portion in a mutual fund, where your money is pooled with others’ in a combination of stocks and bonds, in order to get a better return on your investment than a low-interest savings account. As with 403(b) plans, there are myriad mutual funds to choose from, some riskier or more conservative than others.

Saving for a Rainy Day

Aim to build an emergency fund of approximately three to six months’ income—or more if you’re able. No one wants to run out of money or go into credit card debt; plus having a financial cushion goes a long way toward lowering stress and anxiety.

As Morgan Housel writes in The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness, “Less ego, more wealth. Saving money is the gap between your ego and your income, and wealth is what you don’t see.” 

Important Insurance

If you’re injured on the job, employer-provided workers’ compensation will supply you with income and benefits. But what if you’re injured outside of work, or you fall seriously ill and use up all your sick days? In this case, you’ll be glad you’ve purchased disability insurance. It’s not terribly expensive and offers invaluable peace of mind. 

Long-term care insurance can be a financial lifesaver as well. Designed to cover services not included in traditional health plans, like assisted living and hospice, it’s especially important for those who may someday no longer be able to care for themselves.    

And if you have a family, you should also contemplate life insurance. If the worst should happen, they will be protected. 

Also Important

If you do have children, consider investing in a 529 college savings account, which offers a number of tax advantages, starting when your kids are very young. This will help lessen the sting of the already-astronomical costs of higher education. 

Kids or not, you might also think about opening a flexible spending account (FSA) if you have health-related expenditures not covered by insurance. Like 403(b) accounts, FSAs are funded with pretax dollars, which can lead to big savings over time. 

The 50/30/20 Rule

With so much emphasis on saving, it’s useful to offer a framework for budgeting as well. The 50/30/20 rule says, spend 50 percent of your monthly income on needs, spend 30 percent on wants, and save 20 percent for big purchases and retirement. Though far from a hard-and-fast directive, the 50/30/20 rule is a helpful way of thinking about how we should be spending our money. 

To see where your money is actually going, consider making a budget. There are many great spreadsheet templates online with preset categories and equations, allowing you to enter your income and expenditures with relative ease.

Credit

One of the most important numbers in your life may well be your credit score. There can be slight variations, depending on the credit bureau, but generally, over 800 is excellent, over 740 is very good, and in the 600s is fair to good. Your credit score affects everything from the interest rate you’ll pay on home and car loans to leasing an apartment and even getting a job—since landlords and employers can also pull your credit score. 

Maintaining healthy credit requires some discipline but is fairly straightforward to achieve. Use your credit card every month and pay it off in full every month; don’t “max out” or get close to your credit limit; and establish a long credit history. You might also use your credit card like a debit card in order to accumulate points, charging everything you can, then paying it off with the money in your checking account. It’s surprising how quickly you can accrue benefits like free flights and hotel stays. 

We all have different financial goals, so there is no single correct path for everyone. But all of us should have access to this simple, powerful advice. Ideally, all high school economics students will learn about personal finance, and hopefully now new teachers will, too.