Healthy Boiler

‘Financial Wellness Month’ – A perfect time for a financial checkup; resources available

Recognized annually in January, “Financial Wellness Month” reminds us to think about and pay attention to our financial well-being. The timing is perfect to acknowledge financial wellness because the holiday season tends to increase spending, New Year’s resolutions are staring back at us, tax season preparation is upon us and in regards to planning a budget, now is the time to do it in order to help plan for the future.

Through various departments, benefits and the Healthy Boiler Program, Purdue offers many tools and resources -- in support of the financial wellness pillar of the Healthy Boiler Program -- to assist you with keeping your finances as healthy as possible. They include:

Fidelity

Fidelity is Purdue's official provider of education, guidance and assistance related to retirement plan investments and decisions.

Do you know your numbers? Numbers are specific. They’re clear, easy to understand and can be a reference point to help determine whether something is progressing. When it comes to managing your money, wouldn’t it be helpful to have a number? To see where you stand, and whether there’s room to do better?

“Financial wellness refers to the ‘overall financial health of an individual’” – Wikipedia

You can easily see your financial picture by filling in the blanks about yourself and your financial life via Fidelity’s “Tell Us Your Story!” interactive tool, which is essentially a financial wellness checkup. Once complete, you will see your financial snapshot, which includes your score – based on the information you provided about your budgeting habits, debt, savings and financial protection, and a summary of what’s working and ways you can improve. Visit www.fidelity.com/mymoneybasics to take advantage of the information provided on budgeting, borrowing, savings, investing and preparing.

Fidelity can be reached via phone at 800-544-6868 for general questions.

Fidelity NetBenefits

The Fidelity NetBenefits website provides you with information specific to your employee retirement benefits at Purdue. To log in, you will need your NetBenefits username and password. Don’t worry if you can’t remember – or if you haven’t registered as a user yet – it’s quick and easy to do from the main screen.

In addition to your specific retirement account information and alerts, this website provides a plethora of resources to help you get and keep your financial health in top shape. From personalized suggestions to improve your retirement to a library containing financial information in a variety of formats – articles, videos, workshops, infographics, podcasts and calculators and tools – there are sure to be topics of interest for everyone. Plus, there is an online chat function available where you can chat with a Fidelity representative right then and there.

Fidelity Investor Center – West Lafayette campus

Located in the Purdue Memorial Union on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, the Fidelity Investor Center offers free services to Purdue employees, such as:

  • Helping you enroll in defined contribution or voluntary savings retirement plans
  • Answering retirement questions
  • Developing a comprehensive investment strategy
  • Helping you plan for retirement income
  • Explaining your options for taking money from your account(s) at retirement

You can meet with a Fidelity representative in the Fidelity Investor Center. The campus office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To make an appointment, call 800-642-7131 or schedule online. Employees at the regional campuses also can schedule for their respective campuses via the same number and link. 

MyMoney

A free service provided by the Division of Financial Aid (DFA), Purdue MyMoney can be used as a resource for those in the Purdue community who have financial literacy questions and looking for helpful ways to handle financial situations faced in everyday life. For instance, the MyMoney website offers resources for parents, teachers, college students and K-12, along with money saving strategies and financial planning information. Visit the MyMoney website at www.purdue.edu/mymoney for details. Those with questions can call to 765-494-5050 or email mymoney@purdue.edu.  

Questions

Questions can be directed to Human Resources at 765-494-2222, toll free at 877-725-0222 or via email to hr@purdue.edu.