11 Best Personal Finance Courses in Canada for 2023

Whether you’re completely new to the world of personal finance or already know how to finance your retirement, personal finance courses are a great way to improve your financial skills. Basic courses can be a simple and non-intimidating way to achieve a healthier financial future. Similarly, specialized courses (such as investing or business management courses) can help you learn more about personal finance topics that interest you. While these courses may take some time to complete, they are ultimately an investment in your future.

That being said, with so many options, it can be difficult to determine which courses will be the most beneficial. To help you narrow your search, we’ve gathered some of our favorite personal finance courses. We’ve specifically included both paid and free options, so you can access great courses no matter your budget.

Free personal finance courses

If you’re looking for a course that covers the basics of personal finance, you don’t have to spend money on the paid option. There are many reputable courses to help you get started with personal finance

McGill’s McGill Personal Finance Essentials course

If you’re looking for an overview of the basics of personal finance, the McGill Personal Finance Essentials course at McGill University is a great option. The course includes 8 modules covering topics such as budgeting, saving, debt (and its applications), investing, retirement planning, real estate, the power of compound interest and behavioral finance.

Each video comes with a time-stamped transcript, making it easy to browse the topics you’re interested in. There will be a quiz at the end of each module. Because students are asked to recall the information in each video, it is easier to remember the content of the modules in the long run. Additionally, quizzes can highlight any weaknesses in students’ understanding of the content.

Course of the Credit Consulting Association “The truth about credit”.

Are you looking for a crash course in creditworthiness assessment? Look no further than the Credit Counseling Association’s Truth About Credit course. The 40-minute class discusses the various risks associated with various lending products, explains how to build and improve your credit score, and explains many common lending myths. Additionally, the course is highly interactive – which can be extremely helpful if you tend to tune out while listening to videos.

That being said, I personally faced a few minor technical challenges when trying to navigate the course website. For example, I encountered some difficulties when trying to play a video. Ultimately, the content is useful enough that I still recommend the course to those who want to learn about loans. However, keep in mind that you may need to be patient with the site itself.

ABC Money Matters odds

Are you looking for a highly interactive path to learning about personal finance? ABC Money Matters courses may be the right choice. Money Matters was initially created for volunteers to use to run small face-to-face workshops (find a map of face-to-face offerings here). However, most of the material is also available on the Money Matters website for independent study.

The main Money Matters curriculum is divided into five online courses: Spending Plans, Banking Basics, Borrowing Money, How to Save and Smart Shopping. The ABC has also created specialist Money Matters learning plans for indigenous communities and people with disabilities.

Money Matters is unique in that it encourages a lot of reflection – sometimes digital courses feel like pages of workbooks. As a result, completing the Money Matters course will almost certainly take longer than some of the other courses on this list. However, by reflecting on your own personal finance habits, you also increase the likelihood that you will put the course material into practice.

Khan Academy Personal Finance Course

If you need a deep dive into the basics of personal finance, the Khan Academy course is a great option. The site covers a wide range of topics, including budgeting, interest, investing, home and car expenses, the financial benefits of employee benefits, taxes and more. The videos even include interactive transcripts, so you can click on a specific sentence in the transcript to jump to that point in the video.

That being said, it is important to note that Khan Academy is an American company. While their course provides a relatively in-depth explanation of various financial products and legal processes, the detailed information will not always be relevant to Canadians. Ultimately, however, most of the most important concepts will still apply (e.g. the power of compound interest), making this a great crash course for beginners.

Canadian Government Course Learn about your taxes

Filing your taxes can be stressful, especially if you’re not entirely sure how the process works. Fortunately, the Canadian government has created a course on basic personal taxes. This course guides users through completing a simple tax return, provides an overview of the MyAccount platform, discusses tax benefits and deductions, and explains what to expect after filing your return. Ultimately, if you’re just starting to file your taxes, the course is a great resource. However, it is worth mentioning that the course is aimed at unemployed or traditionally employed people. If you are self-employed, you will need to look for additional resources.

Paid personal finance courses

If you’re looking for a course that goes beyond the basics of personal finance, a paid course is worth considering. These courses typically cover a specific topic in depth and serve as an investment in your future financial well-being.

Please note that all of the paid courses listed below are hosted on Udemy, so they come with several additional benefits. First, Udemy lessons always include clickable transcripts, making it easy to view the material and navigate through the videos. Moreover, the platform often offers 75-80% discount. If you are patient, you can sign up for each course at a significant discount. As I write this, Udemy is having a sale – I’ve included the current sale price for each course in parentheses to give you a rough idea of ​​what the discounted prices might look like.

Kyle Prevost’s Hassle-Free Retirement (WFR)

Cost: $499.99, includes 115 lessons + 1 hour of video content

Kyle Prevost, author and leading Canadian personal finance guru and author of the hit blog Million Dollar Journey, presents 4 steps to a worry-free retirement. Retirement planning often comes with questions and concerns. The purpose of this course is to provide you with answers, peace of mind and control over your financial future. Take this comprehensive personal finance course to learn 4 key steps to a comfortable retirement.

In this course, you’ll gain insight into determining your ideal retirement age and deepen your understanding of retirement savings such as RRSPs and TFSAs. You’ll navigate the intricacies of CPP, OAS and private pensions, exploring strategies for managing mortgage loans, leveraging housing assets and learning about options such as downsizing. Additionally, learn about annuities, insurance needs in retirement, and techniques for maximizing retirement satisfaction.

George Levy’s course on Blockchain and Bitcoin Fundamentals

Cost: $129.99* (prices may drop to as low as $14.99)

Still don’t understand the concept of blockchain? George Levy’s Blockchain and Bitcoin Fundamentals course provides a thorough introduction to the concept, then guides students through the basics of owning Bitcoin (including setting up a Bitcoin wallet, withdrawing cash, and more). If you have already invested in cryptocurrency, the course may be too beginner-oriented for you. However, if you are completely new to the world of cryptocurrencies, the basics of Blockchain and Bitcoin can be a great way to learn more.

Nelson Soh’s personal finance course for Canadians

Cost: $69.99* (prices may drop to as low as $13.99)

Like many of the free options on this list, Nelson Soh’s Personal Finance for Canadians course provides a general introduction to the world of personal finance. However, in addition to the standard topics covered in free courses (such as financial planning, taxes, loans, investments and retirement), Soha’s course covers some less common topics such as insurance and estate planning. The videos are relatively short, which makes this an easily digestible personal finance primer.

Finance in Canada Investing in Canada course

Cost: $119.99* (prices may drop to as low as $13.99)

Investing can be extremely difficult – especially with so many options to choose from. Fortunately, Finance in Canada’s Investing in Canada course provides an extremely thorough overview of the different investing methods and their benefits. The course covers various Canadian investment accounts (e.g. TFSA, FHSA), real estate investing, EFT investing, stock trading and more. It also includes additional videos on debt repayment, credit management, family planning, and home, car and life insurance. The course lasts 27 hours and is a great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about investing.

Canadian Personal Income Tax Course by Debi Peverill

Cost: $27.99* (prices may drop to as low as $13.99)

If you are looking for a thorough course on personal income tax, Debi Peverill’s course on personal income tax in Canada is a good option. The course covers the basics of the Canadian tax system, explains the different types of taxable income, and provides an overview of common deductible expenses and allowances (including medical and moving expenses). However, like the Government of Canada tax rate, Peverill’s Canadian personal income tax does not include self-employment taxes.

Naomi Wilkins’ “Learn to Run a Canadian Business” in 21 Days

Cost: $89.99* (prices may drop to as low as $17.99)

Running a business can be extremely difficult, especially when you’re just starting out. While Naomi Wilkins’ Learn to Run a Canadian Business in 21 Days course can’t teach you industry lessons, it does provide a lot of practical business knowledge. Topics include the benefits of registering different business structures in Canada, an overview of various taxes (e.g. GST/HST and income tax), registering a business, meeting your goals and record keeping, reporting eligible tax expenses, networking and more. The course is designed to be completed in 21 days, but as it is completely self-paced, you can take as much time as you like to work through the modules.