Financial Wellness Week
The Notre Dame Law School Student Services Office and AccessLex Institute® proudly present:
4th Annual Financial Wellness Week
January 22-26, 2024
Your financial health and wellness are often overlooked during law school, and this is also a time when loans are a necessity for many students. Invest some time during Financial Wellness Week 2024 to learn valuable information and strategies you can use to improve your financial well-being now and beyond graduation.
Throughout the week, we will be offering MAX by AccessLex® programs on financial topics important to you as a law student. You will also have an opportunity to schedule individual financial coaching appointments with Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®), Dr. Theresa Popp Braun.
And, don’t miss the fun as we kick off the week with the Wheel of Prizes and end the week with our vendor fair featuring top participants taking a spin in the Money Machine!
See the full schedule below and find out more about how you can earn scholarship drawing entries, Domer Dollars, and be eligible for a turn in the Money Machine by participating!
SCHEDULE
Monday, January 22, 2024
Student Loan Repayment Strategies for Legal Careers
12:30 - 1:30 PM, Eck 3140
Student loan repayment can feel overwhelming, but you can chart a path to a debt-free future based on your specific income and career trajectory. This event will cover common repayment strategies for different legal careers and essential details regarding repayment plan options, consolidation and refinancing, loan forgiveness, and federal student loan repayment options, including the new SAVE plan.
Attendees will receive an entry into the annual MAX by AccessLex® scholarship drawings for $5,000, $25,000, and $40,000 scholarships to be awarded on February 1 and April 1. Attending this program also counts as one of the two program attendances needed for the $25 Domer Dollars Participation Incentive (see more below).\
2024 Financial Wellness Week Kickoff
5:00 – 6:30 PM, Eck Commons
Come grab some pizza, meet MAX, and win prizes! Theresa Popp Braun and student AccessLex representatives will be on hand to demonstrate the financial wellness tools provided completely free to NDLS students through the MAX by AccessLex program. Plus, spin the Financial Wellness Wheel to win a fun giveaway! Will it be $25 in Domer Dollars, AccessLex merch or a $5 coupon to the Crossings? Stop by the Commons between 5-6:30 PM to try your luck!
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Financial Planning for Public Interest Careers (co-sponsored with CDO)
5:00 – 6:00 PM, Eck 2172
A legal career in public service comes with unique demands on your cashflow each month. Come learn about utilizing income-driven repayment plans for federal student loans and pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness, all while maintaining a realistic insurance plan and investing program to fund your future.
Attendees will receive an entry into the annual MAX by AccessLex® scholarship drawings for $5,000, $25,000, and $40,000 scholarships to be awarded on February 1 and April 1. Attending this program also counts as one of the two program attendances needed for the $25 Domer Dollars Participation Incentive (see more below).
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Funding Your Bar Exam Experience
12:30 - 1:30 PM, Eck 3140
Costs associated with preparing and sitting for the bar can add up. This event will help you estimate your expenses — from preparation through passing — and provide you with resources to create your strategic plan for managing bar study and post-graduation costs.
Attendees will receive an entry into the annual MAX by AccessLex® scholarship drawings for $5,000, $25,000, and $40,000 scholarships to be awarded on February 1 and April 1. Attending this program also counts as one of the two program attendances needed for the $25 Domer Dollars Participation Incentive (see more below).
Financial Planning for Private Practice Careers (co-sponsored with CDO)
5:00 – 6:00 PM, Eck 3140
A legal career working in private practice comes with unique demands on your cashflow each month. Come learn about building your lifestyle with generally recommended debt-to-income limits in mind, servicing your student loans, obtaining appropriate insurance coverages, and investing for the future based on your specific salary.
Attendees will receive an entry into the annual MAX by AccessLex® scholarship drawings for $5,000, $25,000, and $40,000 scholarships to be awarded on February 1 and April 1. Attending this program also counts as one of the two program attendances needed for the $25 Domer Dollars Participation Incentive (see more below).
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Have You Ever? (RE) Train Your Brain for Smart Money Decisions!
12:30 - 1:30 PM, Eck 3140
Have you ever spent money when you were stressed out? Made a purchase because your friends did? Spent money to “look the part?” Gone to the store starving and bought a cart-full of junk food? Wondered where that last $20 went? Taken on debt that wasn’t necessary? Wished you could control your spending? Made an impulse purchase you later regretted?
The money decisions we make are informed by many inputs - including background, experience, and environment. This interactive session will unpack these inputs along with some psychological biases that impact almost every money decision we make. We can retrain our brains when it comes to money decisions. Come and learn how!
Attendees will receive an entry into the annual MAX by AccessLex® scholarship drawings for $5,000, $25,000, and $40,000 scholarships to be awarded on February 1 and April 1. Attending this program also counts as one of the two program attendances needed for the $25 Domer Dollars Participation Incentive (see more below).
Financial Wellness Week Finale and Vendor Fair
5:00 – 6:00 PM, Eck Commons
Who will enter the Money Machine and grab as many bills as possible? Attend our Financial Wellness Week finale with financial support vendors from Notre Dame Financial Aid, First Source Bank, Access Lex Champions, Helix Bar Prep, LRAP and more. We'll have music and snacks, and cheer on the week's top participants as they work against time to grab all the bills they can!
Friday, January 26, 2024
An Introduction to Personal Finance for First-Generation Students (co-sponsored with First-Generation Professionals)
12:30 - 1:30 PM, Eck 3140
First-generation students begin their legal education from various starting points academically, professionally, and financially. This event will cover money scripts that impact decision-making and actions you can take as a first-generation student to confidently earn, borrow, spend, protect, and save money.
Attendees will receive an entry into the annual MAX by AccessLex® scholarship drawings for $5,000, $25,000, and $40,000 scholarships to be awarded on February 1 and April 1. Attending this program also counts as one of the two program attendances needed for the $25 Domer Dollars Participation Incentive (see more below).
FINANCIAL COACHING
1:1 Financial Coaching
Monday-Thursday, Jan. 22-25, Biolchini 3355
Dr. Theresa Popp Braun is available for in-person one-on-one 30-minute financial coaching appointments to talk through any personal finance questions you have and student loan repayment options. Theresa is an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) and Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®).
You can schedule your appointment at https://calendly.com/max-coaches/notredame.
Appointments are first-come, first-served and space is limited, so sign-up soon to reserve your spot!
EARN BIG PRIZES BY PARTICIPATING!
All students who participate in designated Financial Wellness Week activities will be awarded $25 in Domer Dollars. PLUS! Top participants will be invited to take a turn in the Money Machine!
$25 Domer Dollars Participation Incentive
To earn $25 in Domer Dollars, students must attend at least two of the MAX by AccessLex® programs during Financial Wellness Week AND complete all 8 of the online financial education modules for your class (1L, 2L, 3L) available on the MAX platform. Create your free account at https://askedna.accesslex.org/learn to access MAX. Lessons must be completed by January 31 to qualify.
Earn a Spot in the Money Machine
Want to earn a chance to take a spin in the Money Machine and grab all the bills you can? The students with the most participation during the week (attending programs, finishing online lessons, and completing a coaching appointment with Dr. Popp Braun) will be invited to try their luck in the Money Machine during our Finale and Vendor Fair on Thursday evening. Top participants will be notified on Thursday afternoon and invited to try their luck in the Money Machine at 5:15 PM on Thursday during the Finale. The value of the bills you grab will be added to your student account to spend as you please!
AccessLex Scholarship Drawings
Attending programs and completing online modules also gets you into AccessLex's scholarship drawings for the remainder of this academic year. MAX by AccessLex® scholarship drawings for $5,000, $25,000, and $40,000 scholarships will be awarded on February 1 and April 1. There will also be a drawing on May 1 for a $50,000 scholarship that will be awarded to one lucky eligible 1L. NDLS has had three $5,000 winners in the past several years and we’d love to see another winner this year!
Questions about Financial Wellness Week? Contact Student Services at lawstudentservices@nd.edu