Learning area 6 of 6 · Prepare
Life After Graduation
First job, first paycheck, first place: start strong.
The months after graduation bring a lot of firsts at once: a first full-time job, a first real paycheck, benefits paperwork, maybe a first apartment and a stack of new monthly bills. Getting the basics right now saves years of catching up.
This area covers preparing for a first job, reading a paycheck, taxes and deductions, employee benefits, moving out and managing recurring expenses, and building a simple 30/60/90-day financial action plan.
Lessons
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Preparing for a first jobCompleted Free preview
Understand the whole offer, not just the hourly rate or salary. About 5 minutes.
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Understanding paychecks, taxes and deductionsCompleted Complete Studio
Your pay stub explains the gap between what you earn and what you receive. About 7 minutes.
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Employee benefitsCompleted Complete Studio
Benefits can be worth thousands of dollars a year. Learn to use them. About 6 minutes.
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Moving out and managing recurring expensesCompleted Complete Studio
Independent living means many bills on many dates. Organize them once. About 6 minutes.
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Creating a financial action planCompleted Complete Studio
Turn everything you have learned into the next 90 days of action. About 5 minutes.
Practice and plan
Interactive tools with fictional sample numbers you can replace with your own. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Included with the Complete Studio.
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First Paycheck Planner
Estimate take-home pay from gross pay, then plan where each paycheck goes.
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Moving Out Budget Challenge
Choose a place, transportation and lifestyle; see the upfront cash and monthly budget, and whether it fits a take-home income you set.
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30/60/90-Day Financial Roadmap
Build a personal 90-day action plan, check items off and print it.
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Life After Graduation quiz
5 questions with an explanation for every answer.
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Worksheet: My First Paycheck & Bills Plan
A printable worksheet to put this area into practice.
Key takeaways
- Compare the whole job offer: pay, benefits, commute and growth.
- Know your pay stub: gross, taxes (FICA is 7.65%), deductions and net.
- Enroll in benefits on time and take any full retirement match.
- List every recurring bill and line due dates up with paydays.
- Keep move-in cash separate from your emergency fund.
- Turn knowledge into a dated 30/60/90-day plan.
Next step
Build your 90-day plan
Use the 30/60/90-Day Financial Roadmap to choose your steps, then print it and put it where you will see it.
- Open the roadmap and choose your steps for each 30-day block.
- Add one personal step to each block.
- Print it or save it on this device.
- Check off items weekly.
Related lessons in other areas
Sources and further reading
- IRS Topic 751: Social Security and Medicare withholding rates (opens in a new tab)
- IRS: Form W-4 (opens in a new tab)
- CFPB (opens in a new tab)
- FTC: job scams (opens in a new tab)
Educational content for learners ages 16 and older. Examples are fictional or hypothetical and may not reflect your circumstances. ILUVRE does not provide personalized financial, investment, legal, tax or mortgage advice. Rules, rates and programs change; check current details with official sources or a qualified professional.