1. Life After Graduation Presented by: Cindy Fitzsimons cindy@cindyloufitz.com (720) 530-7648

2. Staying Involved with APO

3. Society of Life Members  $50 while undergraduate and 1 year after graduation  $100, after 1 year of graduation  Benefits  Life Membership Pin, certificate, and ID card  Lifetime subscription to Torch & Trefoil  Staying connected to the Fraternity

4. APO Alumni Associations  Based on location  Colorado – Rocky Mountain Alumni Association  Benefits:  Events  Networking with other Alumni in area  Low-commitment  Ability to have leadership roles within association

5. Volunteering with the Fraternity  National Volunteer Conference – Summer 2015  Section Staff  Region Staff  National Committees  LEADS presenter  Chapter Advisor  Sponsor a New Chapter

6. Your Career

7. Finding a Job  Start with your school’s career center  Keep your resume up-to-date  Keywords are important  Get help on your resume from a coach or your career center  Temp Agencies  Network, network, network – even when you have a job

8. Being an Entrepreneur Pros  Decide your own schedule  Unlimited earning potential  Excitement  Make decisions vs. “red tape”  Feeling of helping people with your product/efforts Cons  Unsteady paycheck  Fewer benefits  Unpredictable hours  Until you hire staff, all the work is done by you  Constant prospecting

9. I want to be an Entrepreneur…Now what?  What is your product?  How can you start when you still need to eat?  Getting a temporary or part-time job  Finding others in your industry and contract for them  Loans  Pay yourself first  Getting new business (think relationships)  Time Blocking

10. Network Marketing/MLM Businesses  Relatively low cost to start  Two “products” – product and recruitment  Be realistic on income  Inventory  Residual or one-time income?

11. Managing Your Money

12. Example Money Management System  55% Necessities (NEC)  10% Play  5% Contingency Fund  5% Long-term savings for spending  5% Giving/Charity  10% Investing  10% Education  Change percentages as needed and always lower your NEC fund!

13. Expenses Investment time income

14. Buying a House

15. Renting vs. Buying Rent  $900-$2,500/mo depending on location and size  To start: deposit ($500-$1,500)  No equity built  No tax benefits  Other expenses: renter’s insurance, utilities Buy  $1,100-$1,700/mo (for $250,000 house) depending on interest  To start: down payment and closing costs ($8,000-$50,000 or more)  Build equity for eventual sale  Tax benefits  Other expenses: homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, utilities, maintenance, HOA dues

16. Getting a Loan  Loan Options available  FHA 3.5% down, lower credit scores needed  Conventional 5-25% down, less loan fees  VA (for veterans only) 0% down  Other options available for less down, lower income, etc.  Work to improve credit score  Low balances on credit cards (10% of available ideal)  Pay everything on-time  Talk to a credit counselor if needed

17. If you are thinking about buying…  Talk to a Realtor that will educate you and look out for your interests vs. their commission check  Buyer’s Agency in Colorado  Talk to a lender (vs. a mortgage broker or bank) that will educate you on the process  How much money will you need to bring?  What can you do to get a better deal (credit scores, more down, etc)?

18. Investing Your Money

19. What is ROI?  Return on Investment  Income (annual) ÷ Initial Investment = ROI  Why is this important?

20. Many Options for Investing  Savings accounts .001% ROI, very liquid  401(k) and IRA  1-8% ROI based on market, low maintenance, tax benefits, employer matches, not liquid until age 59 ½, lots of fees  Stock Market  ROI depends on market performance, education necessary, high maintenance, low fees  Whole Life Insurance  Steady ROI, low maintenance, high fees, most money will be distributed after death  Other “passive” income streams  Rental properties, vending machines, book royalties, etc.

21. Investing in Real Estate  “Wake-up Money” example  Keep it simple  Investment Pyramid (abbreviated) Savings/Retirement Primary Residence Single Family Investments Multi-Family Investments