INTRODUCING JASON ANDERSON
We are pleased to introduce you to Jason.
Jason is a CPA, CFP ® and the owner of Gradmetrics, a college and student loan planning company. He is also a Lecturer and Academic program Associate for the University of Kansas.
Perhaps read them a Sammy story or share a Sammy song with them!
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GIVE FIRST
Team Sammy: Tell us about your family, community and interests?
Jason Anderson: I live in the Kansas city area with a wife and two children. My favorite hobby is to get outdoors. I love camping and traveling to rural towns in Missouri and Kansas.
A FAMILY TRADITION
Team Sammy: What was one of your first money memories?
Jason Anderson: One of my first money memories was my mother setting up a checking account for me at the local bank. Every time I would visit the bank to deposit money, I would write the deposit down in my ledger and see the balance grow. This gave me a very early introduction to the realities of saving and spending money.
On the flip side, this also gave me a strong and “sticky” relationship with a financial institution. Opening up a checking account at this young age introduced me to financial services. I kept with that bank for quite a while, even after they were acquired by other financial institutions over time.
I’ve passed this legacy on to my children. I’ve opened checking accounts for each of them, UTMA accounts, and 529 college savings accounts. Once they get older, I’ll introduce them to what they have and teach them to spend it responsibly.
TAKING ON RESPONSIBILITY EARLY
Team Sammy: What was your first job (formal or informal)? How much did you earn and what you did with the money?
Jason Anderson: My first job was as a bagger at Dillons supermarket in Springfield, MO. I mostly used the money earned to pay for bills, my first car, and entertainment money. I come from a fairly large family so I was responsible for some of my own bills early on.
I worked several jobs throughout high school and college to ensure I had money for living expenses. I would generally work in the summer and then quit during the school year (due to sports and activities). I primarily held jobs in retail and food service.
KEEP IT UP. KEEP IT GOING. COMPOUND
Team Sammy: What piqued your interest in personal finance?
Jason Anderson: One experience is when I opened my first ROTH IRA account. I visited a bank and interacted with a broker to get everything set up and funded in a specific type of security allocation. Looking back, it was an unnecessarily complex process – I didn’t know what I was doing. I do remember, however, that the broker encouraged me to keep up the amount I was putting away every month, as his calculations showed I would be a millionaire when I retired if I kept it up. That was a lesson in the importance of saving early due to compound interest.
EARLY
Team Sammy: Is it important to teach kids about money? Why? At what age should parents start?
Jason Anderson: As early as possible. My wife and I are teaching my son that items cost money – we can’t just take candy off the shelf and walk out. There is always a cost. My son now talks about needed money to purchase things, and he’s 4.5 years old.
MONEY AND SCHOOLS
Team Sammy: Should personal finance be taught in schools?
Jason Anderson: Yes, of course.
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LOTS TO TALK ABOUT
Team Sammy: Any thoughts on student debt?
Jason Anderson: Oh yes, now I can talk about this all day. There are systemic issues in college and the inflation in college costs is largely due to federal debt being poured into the system. Student loan debt and college affordability is a massive problem. I give entire workshops on this topic.
Discover more about Jason. Visit Gradmetrics.com.
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