The Statistical Question of Worker Preparation for Financial Management Responsibilities? Considering material in the required reading and the PBS Frontline video, Can You Afford to Retire?

This was the initial discussion question and below are 2 students answers to that question. I need at least a one paragraph response to both student 1 and 2 on their answers to the discussion question. At least 2 paragraphs in total, one in response to each student. 

Initial Post

Section 1: The Statistical Question of Worker Preparation for Financial Management Responsibilities 

Considering material in the required reading and the PBS Frontline video, “Can You Afford to Retire?", reflect on a typical worker’s age and preparation for a decision to contribute to a retirement plan, including choosing investment options. Discuss at least two reasons why it is statistically unlikely that Nadja will reach her retirement goals.

[Hint: You might consider statistics regarding educational preparation of the American population and the likelihood that individuals are familiar with investment planning tools and concepts. You might also think about which varieties of individuals are best prepared to meet these goals and the techniques used to build retirement savings to a high value, as discussed in the video, “Can You Afford to Retire?.”]

Section 2: The Work of the Professional Financial Manager

Even if you are not a professional financial manager, you employ financial management tools and concepts in your personal life. Remembering that the functions of a financial manager are to manage cash and credit, issue and repurchase financial securities; decide how to allocate capital for new and existing projects (capital budgeting), and manage financial risk; comment on the similarities between corporate and personal financial management that you learned about in this module and discussion.

Student 1:

All,

Section 1: The Statistical Question of Worker Preparation for Financial Management Responsibilities 

As a large percentage of the current population is unable to save for retirement and continues to live paycheck to paycheck, Nadja faces a similar if not worse situation attempting to save for retirement. Torpey (2018) states that, "the medium income for all individuals holding a bachelors degree is $60,000." Morrisey (2016) also states "Nearly half of all working-age families have zero retirement account savings." Even if Nadja was making the medium income at her skill level, the possibility to reach her retirement goals are extremely limited. Assuming Nadja makes the medium $60,000 broke up into 12 months at $5,000 monthly pre-tax, she will be limiting herself and still face living paycheck to paycheck and/or not saving for retirement if she needs to make large financed purchases, such as a home or car. These large financed purchase can also be amplified onto of Nadja's lack of financial knowledge which causes her to be vulnerable to financial traps set in place by large institutions that can take advantage of her not knowing the financial ins and outs, which unsurprisingly happens a lot more often than we would like to believe.

Section 2: The Work of the Professional Financial Manager

Both corporate and personal finances are similar in how their basic functions are managed. Our personal finances can be seen as corporate finances as well, in terms of how we manage our finances and track our expenditures. In our personal finances, we tend to track how much debt is on our credit cards and how much we have saved in our bank accounts and how much capitol we have towards "fun money", which in similarity to corporate finance, corporations track their cash flow and purchasing power and their funding to start new projects. Both corporate and personal finances follow similar basic functions however, the verbiage changes between both and the items of interest are differentiated as well. 

References:

Morrissey, M. (2016). The State of American Retirement: How 401(k)s have failed most American workers. Economic Policy Institute.

Torpey, E. (2018, April 10). Measuring the value of education: Career Outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2018/data-on-display/education-pays.htm

Student 2:

Hello Classmates;

Section 1: The Statistical Question of Worker Preparation for Financial Management Responsibilities 

The failure to save enough—or save at all—impacts Americans in their working years and later in life. With life expectancy on the rise, workers’ efforts to prepare for retirement face threats from inadequate investment returns, significant or unexpected expenses, and inflation. According to the PBS program, an individual would never need to invest between 14 and 18 percent to be prosperous during their retirement years. Unlike the 9-10% that most people think you might need (Smith & Young, 2006). 

1. Limited income and high expenses: Nadja's current earnings may be relatively low, and she may struggle to meet her basic needs on her moderate wage. This may make it difficult for her to set aside money for her retirement, as she may prioritize her current expenses over saving for the future. Additionally, as she is just starting out in her career, she may not be able to save as much as someone who has been working for a longer period of time.
2. Nadja's lack of familiarity with financial principles: With only a 12% chance of having familiarity with financial principles, Nadja may not have the knowledge or understanding to effectively plan and save for her retirement. This lack of financial literacy could hinder her ability to make informed decisions about retirement savings and investment options.

Section 2: The Work of the Professional Financial Manager 

Both corporate and personal financial management involve similar functions such as managing cash and credit, allocating capital for new and existing projects (budgeting), and managing financial risk (Cornett et al., 2020). In personal financial management, individuals must also manage their cash and credit by creating a budget, paying bills on time, and managing credit card debt. They also need to make decisions about how to allocate their money for various expenses, such as housing, transportation, and retirement savings, which is similar to the capital budgeting process in corporate finance. Additionally, both corporate and personal financial management involve managing financial risk, whether it is through diversifying investments or protecting against unexpected events such as job loss or illness. The main difference would be the scale and complexity of the financial decisions and the responsibility of stakeholders.

References

Smith, H. & Young, R. (2006, May 16).Can you afford to retire?.Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/retirement/

Cornett, M.M., Adair, T.A., Nofsinger, J. (2020). Finance: Applications & Theory (5th ed.). McGraw Hill.