• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Personal Finance for PhDs

Live a financially balanced life - no Real Job required

  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Tax Center
  • PhD Home Loans
  • Work with Emily
  • About Emily Roberts

Uncategorized

Financial Emergency Workshop Advance Preparation

April 23, 2025 by Emily Leave a Comment

Thank you for registering for How to Weather a Financial Emergency as an Early-Career PhD! Please complete the action items below prior to the date of the workshop so that you can receive the full benefits of the workshop.

  1. Bring your balance sheet. A balance sheet is a record of all of your current financial assets and liabilities. If you don’t have a balance sheet, please take some time to create one. You can download a template spreadsheet as well as some instructions via this link. Feel free to use a different template if you prefer. If you use budgeting or net worth tracking software and have all your accounts linked, the software probably has all the information, so no need to replicate it elsewhere. You will work with your balance sheet during the workshop.
  2. Review your budget or cash flow with these questions in mind: What is the total of my current monthly expenses? Am I currently saving money for my short- or long-term future, and if so at what rate(s)?

During the workshop, we’ll be working with spreadsheets and PDFs. If the workshop is in person, please bring your laptop or tablet. If the workshop is remote, please set your workspace up so that you can best juggle Zoom alongside the other programs.

I look forward to speaking with you during the workshop!

Nonresident Tax Return Prep Workshop Advance Preparation

January 27, 2025 by Emily Leave a Comment

Thank you for registering for Demystifying Taxes for Graduate Students (Nonresidents)! Please complete the action items below prior to the date of the workshop so that you can receive the full benefits of the workshop.

  1. Bring your 2024 income and tax records related to your role as a graduate student to the workshop. These records include any or all of:
    • Your Form W-2,
    • Your Form 1042-S,
    • A printout of your student account transactions, and
    • Receipts/documentation of any education expenses you paid outside of your student account.
  1. Bring your 2023 federal and state income tax returns, if you filed them, to the workshop.
  2. If you aren’t certain that you were a nonresident in 2024, watch this video or read this transcript to apply the substantial presence test.
  3. If you aren’t yet well versed in the US income tax system (e.g., tax return vs. refund, credit, deduction, marginal tax rate), watch this video (19 min) or read this transcript for background terms and concepts.
  4. Fill out this quick survey to tell me your top question/concern about your tax return this year.

During the workshop, we’ll be working with spreadsheets and PDFs. If the workshop is in person, please bring your laptop or tablet. If the workshop is remote, please set your workspace up so that you can best juggle Zoom alongside the other programs.

I look forward to speaking with you during the workshop!

Dr. Emily Roberts, Personal Finance for PhDs

Tax Return Prep Workshop Advance Preparation

December 20, 2024 by Emily 3 Comments

Thank you for registering for Demystifying Taxes for Graduate Students (US Citizens/Residents)! Please complete the action items below prior to the date of the workshop so that you can receive the full benefits of the workshop.

  1. Bring your 2024 income and tax records related to your role as a graduate student to the workshop. These records include any or all of:
    • Your Form 1098-T
    • Your Form W-2
    • Any additional forms or documents related to your fellowship/training grant stipend/salary, e.g., Form 1099-MISC, Form 1099-NEC, Form 1099-G, courtesy letter, offer letter,
    • A printout of your student account transactions,
    • Receipts/documentation of any education expenses you paid outside of your student account, and
    • How much you paid in estimated tax.
  1. Fill in these two worksheets. Add to Worksheet 1 the credits that appear in your student account (e.g., scholarships for education expenses)—only columns B, C, and D. Add to Worksheet 2 the charges that appear in your student account (e.g., tuition, fees, health insurance premium)—only columns H, I, and J. We will continue to fill in these worksheets during the workshop.
  2. Bring your 2023 federal and state income tax returns, if you filed them, to the workshop.
  3. If you aren’t yet well versed in the language and mechanisms of income tax (e.g., tax return vs. refund, credit, deduction, marginal tax rate), watch this video (17 min) or read this transcript for background terms and concepts.
  4. Answer the questions in this quick survey to tell me your top question/concern about your tax return this year.

During the workshop, we’ll be working with spreadsheets and PDFs. If the workshop is in person, please bring your laptop or tablet. If the workshop is remote, please set your workspace up so that you can best juggle Zoom alongside the other programs.

I look forward to speaking with you during the workshop!

Dr. Emily Roberts, Personal Finance for PhDs

Financial Goals Workshop Advance Preparation

August 29, 2024 by Emily 3 Comments

Thank you for registering for How to Set and Achieve Financial Goals as a Graduate Student or Postdoc! Please complete the action items below prior to the date of the workshop so that you can receive the full benefits of the workshop.

  1. Bring your balance sheet. A balance sheet is a record of all of your current financial assets and liabilities. If you don’t have a balance sheet, please take some time to create one. You can download a template spreadsheet as well as some instructions via this link. Feel free to use a different template if you prefer. If you use budgeting or net worth tracking software and have all your accounts linked, the software probably has all the information, so no need to replicate it elsewhere. You will work with your balance sheet during the workshop.
  2. Review your budget or cash flow with these questions in mind: Am I currently saving money for my short- or long-term future? If yes, what percentage of my gross income am I saving? If no, would it be possible in my current circumstances for me to save a certain dollar amount or percentage on a regular basis?

During the workshop, we’ll be working with spreadsheets and PDFs. If the workshop is in person, please bring your laptop or tablet. If the workshop is remote, please set your workspace up so that you can best juggle Zoom alongside the other programs.

I look forward to speaking with you during the workshop!

Budgeting Workshop Advance Preparation

August 29, 2024 by Emily Leave a Comment

Thank you for registering for Expert-Level Budgeting for Graduate Students and Postdocs! Please complete the action item below prior to the date of the workshop so that you can receive the full benefits of the workshop.

Please bring all of your current/recent spending data that you have access to. If you track your spending, bring your spreadsheet or plan to access your software. If you don’t track your spending, look up your fixed expenses in advance (e.g., rent, minimum debt payments, utilities, subscriptions) as well as what you’ve spent recently on variable expenses (e.g., food, transportation, entertainment). If you would like, you can use this spreadsheet to organize this data for the recent months (edit according to your spending categories).

During the workshop, we’ll be working with spreadsheets and documents. If the workshop is in person, please bring your laptop or tablet. If the workshop is remote, please set your workspace up so that you can best juggle Zoom alongside the other programs.

I look forward to speaking with you during the workshop!

Dr. Emily Roberts, Personal Finance for PhDs

Estimated Tax Workshop Advance Preparation

August 28, 2024 by Emily Leave a Comment

Thank you for registering for How to Prevent a Large, Unexpected Tax Bill on Your Fellowship Income! Please complete the action items below prior to the date of the workshop so that you can receive the full benefits of the workshop.

  1. Bring your 2024 income- and tax-related records to the workshop. Bring your spouse’s records as well if you file a joint tax return. These records include any or all of:
    • Your fellowship offer letter,
    • Your recent fellowship paycheck amount(s) and date(s),
    • Your student account transactions,
    • Your final pay stub from a prior W-2 job, and
    • Your most recent pay stub for an ongoing W-2 job.
  1. Bring your 2023 federal income tax return, if you filed one, to the workshop.
  1. Watch this video (7 minutes) for background information so that we can jump right into the exercises during the workshop.

During the workshop, we’ll be working with spreadsheets and PDFs. If the workshop is in person, please bring your laptop or tablet. If the workshop is remote, please set your workspace up so that you can best juggle Zoom alongside the other programs.

I look forward to speaking with you during the workshop!

Dr. Emily Roberts, Personal Finance for PhDs

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

Sign Up for More Awesome Content

I'll send you my 2,500-word "Five Ways to Improve Your Finances TODAY as a Graduate Student or Postdoc."

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by Kit

Copyright © 2025 · Atmosphere Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • About Emily Roberts
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact