The financial landscape has never been more complex, but the right knowledge and tools can transform your financial future. In this two-session deep dive, Professor Annamaria Lusardi, one of the world's leading experts on financial literacy, will guide you through evidence-based strategies for smart saving, investing fundamentals, debt management, and risk management. Then, in a hands-on "Get $tuff Done" session, you'll translate these concepts into action by creating your own personalized financial plan with Angela Amarillas, director of Stanford’s financial wellness program called Mind Over Money. Over the two sessions, you'll identify your top financial priorities, map out concrete next steps, and leave with the tools and confidence to execute your plan. Whether you're navigating student loans, starting to invest, building emergency savings, or planning for post-graduation life, you'll gain both the foundational knowledge and the actionable roadmap you need to take care of your financial life while at Stanford and beyond.

Tuesday, May 5, 4-6pm — Session 1: Foundations of Financial Decision-Making
In this intensive two-hour session, Professor Lusardi will draw on years of rigorous research to deliver evidence-based strategies for navigating today's financial choices. You will learn:

• Smart saving strategies: How to build savings habits that actually work and create financial buffers for life's uncertainties
• Investing fundamentals: Demystifying the basics of growing wealth over time, from compound interest to asset allocation
• Debt management: Understanding when debt helps or hurts you, and strategies for managing student loans and other obligations
• Risk management: Essential strategies for protecting yourself and your assets against financial shocks

This session will equip you not only to make better financial choices yourself, but also to share these critical lessons with family members and others in your life. Come ready to engage, ask questions, and build the financial foundation that will serve you throughout your time at Stanford and beyond.

Thursday, May 7, 4-6pm — Session 2: Your Personal Financial Action Plan
Building on the foundations from Session 1, this hands-on, two-hour workshop will help you translate financial knowledge into concrete action. Led by Angela Amarillas, this "Get $tuff Done" session is designed to move you from understanding financial concepts to implementing them in your own life.

We'll tackle the common obstacles that keep people from acting on good financial intentions and create accountability structures to ensure that you will follow through. Whether it's managing student loans, starting to invest, building an emergency fund, or planning for major life transitions, you'll leave knowing exactly where to focus your energy first.

This is a working session—bring your laptop, a general sense of your current financial situation (income, expenses, debts, savings), your questions, and your financial concerns. By the end of these two hours, you'll have a clear, personalized plan and the confidence to execute it.

Intensity Level: Mild intensity

• Multiple topics are covered at a steady pace, with in-class activities requiring some preparation. Some out-of-class work is required, and regular in-class participation is expected. Students will develop a moderate level of skill-building during the course.

Facilitated by: 

• Annamaria Lusardi, senior fellow, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research
• Angela Renae Amarillas, program director, Stanford Financial Wellness

Details: 

When: May 5 and 7 (Tuesday and Thursday), 4-6PM

Open to enrolled graduate students at any stage in any discipline or degree program. Postdocs will be accepted if space is available, but priority is given to graduate students.

A Deep Dive - Financial Decision-Making for Grad Students is a two-part workshop. Session dates are Tuesday and Thursday May 5 and 7 from 4-6PM. Space is limited. Due to the workshop’s interactive format, full participation in both sessions are required. Dinner will be served. 

If you are accepted to this workshop, you must confirm your place by submitting a Student Participation Fee Agreement, which authorizes VPGE to charge $50 to your Stanford bill – only if you do not fully participate in the event. You will receive a link to the Agreement and instructions if you are offered a place.

Application deadline: Monday, May 4th @11:59PM PT.

Apply here