Personal Finance Foundations: Know the Rules. Build the Habits. Own Your Future.
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 579
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$99.00 USD
Personal Finance Foundations: Know the Rules. Build the Habits. Own Your Future provides a practical guide to personal financial planning, covering budgeting, income, banking, taxes, credit, consumer protection, insurance, housing, education funding, and major financial decisions. It also introduces investing in stocks, bonds, funds, real estate, and alternative assets, along with retirement, estate, trust, and legacy planning.
Chapter 1: Personal Financial Planning and the Time Value of Money
Chapter 2: Goal Setting and Vision
Chapter 3: Budgeting Like a Boss
Chapter 4: Build Your Income Engine: Careers, Side Hustles, and Entrepreneurial Growth
Chapter 5: Banking Basics
Chapter 6: Taxes Demystified
Chapter 7: Credit Mastery: Building Strong Credit and Using Credit Cards Wisely
Chapter 8: Consumer Purchasing and Legal Protection
Chapter 9: Auto Financing, Auto Insurance, and Buying the Right Vehicle
Chapter 10: Student Loans and Education Funding
Chapter 11: Health, Disability, and Long-Term Care Insurance
Chapter 12: Life Insurance
Chapter 13: Buying the House and Protecting It
Chapter 14: Investing Fundamentals
Chapter 15: Investing in Stocks
Chapter 16: Investing in Bonds
Chapter 17: Mutual Funds, ETFs, and Index Funds: Don’t Chase One Winner—Own the Whole Team
Chapter 18: Real Estate and Alternative Investments
Chapter 19: Retirement Planning
Chapter 20: Legacy Planning, Trusts, and Estate Planning
James Jackson III is a nationally recognized community builder, speaker, and strategist working at the intersection of economic development, supplier diversity, and leadership. He is the founder of J3 Motivation, where he advises organizations on building inclusive strategies that drive real outcomes.
James previously served as Director of the Utah Minority Business Development Center (MBDA), where he helped minority-owned businesses access capital and compete for public and private contracts. Prior to that, he spent nearly 25 years in the financial industry, including leading supplier diversity efforts at Zions Bancorporation—experience that continues to shape his work with corporations, government agencies, and business ecosystems today.
In 2009, James founded the Utah Black Chamber, growing it into one of the most impactful business organizations in the state and a model for community-centered economic development. His work has consistently focused on connecting underserved entrepreneurs to opportunity, capital, and networks that drive long-term growth.
He is also the founder of Money Moves University, a financial education platform designed to equip individuals and communities with practical, real-world tools to build wealth. In fall 2026, the program will expand into a college-level textbook and course, bringing accessible financial education into higher education institutions nationwide.
A bestselling author, James has written Living With Purpose and contributed to Black Utah: Stories from a Thriving Community. His insights on leadership, diversity, and economic growth have been featured in Utah Business Magazine.
James has received numerous honors, including the Cameron Russell Williams Impact Award, Utah Business Magazine’s Forty Under 40, and the University of Utah’s Hall of Fame Rising Star Award. A Utah native, he remains deeply committed to building stronger, more inclusive economies where businesses and communities can thrive together.