Personal Finance - DFPI
Source: https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/personal-finance
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:13
Personal Finance - DFPI
Skip to Main Content
Personal Finance
Knowing your way around personal finance has all kinds of benefits that you can put a number on (like better interest rates and lower fees), but one big one you can’t: The sense of security and confidence that comes with being financially fluent.
Keeping up to speed with the changing nature of personal finance is especially important for Californians.
Our high cost of living puts a premium on being financially savvy. Understanding personal finance helps reduce stress and place control in your hands.
DFPI and financial empowerment
We believe Californians should be empowered with financial literacy. We all deserve to be financially secure, and fundamental knowledge of personal finance is where it all begins. We’ve got all kinds of resources and initiatives to help Californians improve their skills and become more financially fluent.
Our
consumer financial education and resources
page is a great place to start building a foundation of financial understanding. We’ve got guides, toolkits, workshops and online resources covering topics such as budgeting, saving, credit management, debt repayment, and avoiding financial scams.
Featured Resources
Finance & Lending Education
Guides, toolkits, workshops and other resources covering topics such as budgeting, saving, credit management, debt repayment, and avoiding financial scams.
Consumer Financial Education for Military and Veterans
Military Lending Act, Housing Assistance For Veterans, Military and Veteran Educational benefits, and more.
Personal Finance for Couples: Managing Joint Finances
Money is a common cause of stress in relationships, and if left unaddressed, it can impact more than just your wallet. Follow these tips to help you manage joint finances in a marriage or partnership.
Useful Terms
Income
Income
is your cornerstone. It’s all the money you bring in and can then allocate to expenses, savings, investments, and protection. This includes salaries, wages, dividends, and other sources of cash inflow.
Budget
Your
budget
is a plan that outlines your income and expenses. Budgets are essential to controlling your financial life and to being able to build a base of savings, investment and security for the future.
Spending
Spending
is your cash outflow for bills and purchases, including rent, mortgage, groceries, hobbies, eating out, home furnishings, and home repairs.
Savings
Savings
are the income you don’t spend. Savings are important for covering larger expenses down the road, and for storing funds for the future. For most people, savings confer a sense of security and achievement.
Debt
Debt
is the money you owe to creditors through loans, credit cards, or mortgages.
Credit Score
A
credit score
is a number that represents an individual’s creditworthiness based on their credit history and borrowing behavior.
Investing
Investing
is when you purchase assets, like stocks and bonds, with the goal of earning a return on your money. Investing is a way to increase your wealth. Keep in mind investments come with various levels of risk, depending on the investment.
Other Useful links
CFPB Empowerment Toolkit:
A well-rounded resource that will help deepen and broaden your financial knowledge and fluency.
LinkedIn’s Managing Your Personal Finances
: Financial expert Jane Barratt shows how opportunities arise when you learn more about your money.
Investopedia’s What Is Personal Finance and Why Is It Important
page covers all the bases and basics.
Other Recent Consumer Alerts and Insights
Alerts
WhatsApp Investment Group called “Sofi Investment Group” Posing as a California-licensed Investment Adviser
Mar 9, 2026
The DFPI has received information that individuals are using the WhatsApp group “Sofi Investment Group” to falsely present themselves as licensed investment advisers.
Consumer Insights
The New Era of Tech-Enabled Scams
Feb 27, 2026
It may seem daunting to keep up with technology these days. As it evolves, it seems to create more opportunities for criminals to exploit consumers. The scale of the problem is huge, and it will take us all working together to turn the tide.
Alerts
WhatsApp Investment Group called “Sofi Investment Group” Posing as a California-licensed Investment Adviser
Mar 9, 2026
The DFPI has received information that individuals are using the WhatsApp group “Sofi Investment Group” to falsely present themselves as licensed investment advisers.
Alerts
WhatsApp Investment Group called “VIP Guidance Group” Posing as a California-licensed Investment Adviser
Feb 18, 2026
An individual calling himself Professor Jake Civiello is falsely posing as a licensed investment adviser. He runs a WhatsApp group called VIP Guidance Group, which is NOT connected to any licensed investment adviser or broker-dealer in CA.
Stay Connected
Subscribe
Facebook
Twitter
Linked In
YouTube
Instagram
Resources and Publications
News
Consumer Alerts
Press Releases
Events
Reports
Regulated Industries
Actions & Orders
Laws & Regulations
Industries we regulate
Commercial Banks
Industrial Banks
Public Banks
Credit Unions
Trust Services
Securities
Franchises
Capital for Businesses
Broker-Dealers & Investment Advisers
Money Transmitters
Debt Collectors
Check Sellers, Bill Payers & Proraters
Consumer & Commercial Loans
Payday Lenders
Insurance Premium Finance
Residential Mortgage Lenders
Mortgage Loan Originators
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
Escrow
Student Loan Servicers
Skip to Main Content
Personal Finance
Knowing your way around personal finance has all kinds of benefits that you can put a number on (like better interest rates and lower fees), but one big one you can’t: The sense of security and confidence that comes with being financially fluent.
Keeping up to speed with the changing nature of personal finance is especially important for Californians.
Our high cost of living puts a premium on being financially savvy. Understanding personal finance helps reduce stress and place control in your hands.
DFPI and financial empowerment
We believe Californians should be empowered with financial literacy. We all deserve to be financially secure, and fundamental knowledge of personal finance is where it all begins. We’ve got all kinds of resources and initiatives to help Californians improve their skills and become more financially fluent.
Our
consumer financial education and resources
page is a great place to start building a foundation of financial understanding. We’ve got guides, toolkits, workshops and online resources covering topics such as budgeting, saving, credit management, debt repayment, and avoiding financial scams.
Featured Resources
Finance & Lending Education
Guides, toolkits, workshops and other resources covering topics such as budgeting, saving, credit management, debt repayment, and avoiding financial scams.
Consumer Financial Education for Military and Veterans
Military Lending Act, Housing Assistance For Veterans, Military and Veteran Educational benefits, and more.
Personal Finance for Couples: Managing Joint Finances
Money is a common cause of stress in relationships, and if left unaddressed, it can impact more than just your wallet. Follow these tips to help you manage joint finances in a marriage or partnership.
Useful Terms
Income
Income
is your cornerstone. It’s all the money you bring in and can then allocate to expenses, savings, investments, and protection. This includes salaries, wages, dividends, and other sources of cash inflow.
Budget
Your
budget
is a plan that outlines your income and expenses. Budgets are essential to controlling your financial life and to being able to build a base of savings, investment and security for the future.
Spending
Spending
is your cash outflow for bills and purchases, including rent, mortgage, groceries, hobbies, eating out, home furnishings, and home repairs.
Savings
Savings
are the income you don’t spend. Savings are important for covering larger expenses down the road, and for storing funds for the future. For most people, savings confer a sense of security and achievement.
Debt
Debt
is the money you owe to creditors through loans, credit cards, or mortgages.
Credit Score
A
credit score
is a number that represents an individual’s creditworthiness based on their credit history and borrowing behavior.
Investing
Investing
is when you purchase assets, like stocks and bonds, with the goal of earning a return on your money. Investing is a way to increase your wealth. Keep in mind investments come with various levels of risk, depending on the investment.
Other Useful links
CFPB Empowerment Toolkit:
A well-rounded resource that will help deepen and broaden your financial knowledge and fluency.
LinkedIn’s Managing Your Personal Finances
: Financial expert Jane Barratt shows how opportunities arise when you learn more about your money.
Investopedia’s What Is Personal Finance and Why Is It Important
page covers all the bases and basics.
Other Recent Consumer Alerts and Insights
Alerts
WhatsApp Investment Group called “Sofi Investment Group” Posing as a California-licensed Investment Adviser
Mar 9, 2026
The DFPI has received information that individuals are using the WhatsApp group “Sofi Investment Group” to falsely present themselves as licensed investment advisers.
Consumer Insights
The New Era of Tech-Enabled Scams
Feb 27, 2026
It may seem daunting to keep up with technology these days. As it evolves, it seems to create more opportunities for criminals to exploit consumers. The scale of the problem is huge, and it will take us all working together to turn the tide.
Alerts
WhatsApp Investment Group called “Sofi Investment Group” Posing as a California-licensed Investment Adviser
Mar 9, 2026
The DFPI has received information that individuals are using the WhatsApp group “Sofi Investment Group” to falsely present themselves as licensed investment advisers.
Alerts
WhatsApp Investment Group called “VIP Guidance Group” Posing as a California-licensed Investment Adviser
Feb 18, 2026
An individual calling himself Professor Jake Civiello is falsely posing as a licensed investment adviser. He runs a WhatsApp group called VIP Guidance Group, which is NOT connected to any licensed investment adviser or broker-dealer in CA.
Stay Connected
Subscribe
Linked In
YouTube
Resources and Publications
News
Consumer Alerts
Press Releases
Events
Reports
Regulated Industries
Actions & Orders
Laws & Regulations
Industries we regulate
Commercial Banks
Industrial Banks
Public Banks
Credit Unions
Trust Services
Securities
Franchises
Capital for Businesses
Broker-Dealers & Investment Advisers
Money Transmitters
Debt Collectors
Check Sellers, Bill Payers & Proraters
Consumer & Commercial Loans
Payday Lenders
Insurance Premium Finance
Residential Mortgage Lenders
Mortgage Loan Originators
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
Escrow
Student Loan Servicers