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Personal Finance Literacy TEST SSPFL 6 and SSPFL7

Total questions: 38

Worksheet time: 27mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following best describes the primary difference between banks and credit unions?

a)

Banks are non-profit; credit unions are for-profit

b)

Banks are for-profit; credit unions are non-profit

c)

Both are non-profit organizations

d)

Both are government-owned

2.

A consumer needs a short-term loan but has poor credit. Which institution is most likely to offer the loan, and what is the major drawback?

a)

Bank; low interest rate

b)

Credit union; high fees

c)

Payday lender; extremely high interest

d)

Title pawn lender; no collateral required

3.

Why might a credit union offer lower interest rates on loans compared to a bank?

a)

Credit unions are for-profit and seek higher returns

b)

Credit unions are non-profit and return earnings to members

c)

Banks have fewer customers

d)

Banks are regulated differently

4.

Which of the following is a drawback of using payday lenders?

a)

They require high credit scores

b)

They offer low interest rates

c)

They charge extremely high fees and interest

d)

They provide long-term loans

5.

What is one benefit of using a traditional bank over a title pawn lender?

a)

Lower interest rates and more secure services

b)

No need for collateral

c)

Faster approval with no credit check

d)

Higher fees

6.

Why do unbanked individuals often pay more for financial services?

a)

They have access to free ATMs

b)

They rely on alternative lenders with higher fees

c)

They receive government subsidies

7.

Which financial institution is most likely to require membership for access to services?

a)

Bank

b)

Credit union

c)

Payday lender

d)

Title pawn lender

8.

How does being non-profit affect a credit union’s lending behavior?

a)

They charge higher interest rates to increase profits

b)

They return earnings to members and often offer lower rates

c)

They avoid offering loans

d)

They operate like payday lenders

9.

Which of the following is a common difficulty faced by unbanked individuals?

a)

Easy access to low-interest loans

b)

Lack of security and higher financial costs

c)

Free check cashing services

d)

Guaranteed savings growth

10.

Which institution typically offers the highest interest rates on short-term loans?

a)

Bank

b)

Credit union

c)

Payday lender

d)

Title pawn lender

11.

Which action by the Federal Reserve is most likely to increase interest rates?

a)

Buying government securities

b)

Lowering reserve requirements

c)

Raising the federal funds rate

d)

Increasing money supply

12.

What does APR stand for?

a)

Annual Payment Rate

b)

Annual Percentage Rate

c)

Average Payment Ratio

d)

Annual Principal Rate

13.

How does inflation affect real returns on savings accounts?

a)

It lowers nominal interest rates

b)

It increases purchasing power

c)

It erodes the value of money over time

d)

It makes compound interest ineffective

14.

Which type of interest grows faster over time?

a)

Simple interest

b)

Compound interest

15.

What is the main difference between fixed and variable interest rates?

a)

Fixed rates change frequently; variable rates never change

b)

Fixed rates remain constant; variable rates fluctuate

c)

Both remain constant

d)

Both fluctuate

16.

A borrower takes a $10,000 loan at 6% APR for 5 years. How would switching to 8% APR affect monthly payments?

a)

Payments decrease slightly

b)

Payments increase significantly

c)

Payments remain the same

d)

Payments decrease significantly

17.

Which institution is most likely to offer the lowest interest rate on a car loan?

a)

Payday lender

b)

Title pawn lender

c)

Bank

d)

Credit union

18.

What is the effect of the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates?

a)

Borrowing becomes more expensive

b)

Borrowing becomes cheaper

c)

Savings accounts earn more

d)

Inflation increases immediately

19.

Which of the following best describes nominal return?

a)

Return adjusted for inflation

b)

Return before adjusting for inflation

c)

Real purchasing power

d)

Compound interest only

20.

Why might a variable interest rate loan be riskier for consumers?

a)

Payments remain constant

b)

Payments can increase if rates rise

c)

Payments always decrease

d)

Rates never change

21.

A consumer compares a payday loan with a credit union loan. Which factor should weigh most heavily in their decision?

a)

Speed of approval

b)

Total cost including interest and fees

c)

Location of the lender

d)

Advertising

22.

If the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, what is the likely impact on borrowing and saving?

a)

Borrowing becomes cheaper; saving less attractive

b)

Borrowing becomes more expensive; saving more attractive

c)

Both borrowing and saving become cheaper

d)

Both borrowing and saving become more expensive

23.

Which scenario demonstrates compound interest?

a)

Interest calculated only on the original principal

b)

Interest calculated on principal plus accumulated interest

c)

Interest rate remains fixed

d)

Interest paid annually only

24.

A person invests in a savings account earning 2% interest while inflation is 3%. What is the real return?

a)

+1%

b)

-1%

c)

0%

d)

+3%

25.

Why might someone choose a Roth IRA over a Traditional IRA?

a)

Roth IRA contributions are tax-deductible

b)

Roth IRA withdrawals are tax-free in retirement

c)

Roth IRA requires employer matching

d)

Roth IRA has no income limits

26.

Which financial institution is most likely to offer check-cashing services at the lowest cost?

a)

Payday lender

b)

Title pawn lender

c)

Bank

d)

Credit union

27.

Which factor most influences the interest rate offered on a personal loan?

a)

Borrower's credit score

b)

Borrower's age

c)

Borrower's location

d)

Borrower's employer

28.

Why does compound interest benefit long-term investors more than short-term investors?

a)

It reduces risk

b)

It accelerates growth over time

c)

It guarantees fixed returns

d)

It eliminates inflation

29.

Which of the following best explains why payday loans are considered predatory?

a)

They require collateral

b)

They have extremely high interest rates and fees

c)

They are regulated by the Federal Reserve

d)

They offer long repayment terms

30.

A consumer wants to minimize interest costs on a credit card. Which strategy is most effective?

a)

Make minimum payments only

b)

Pay the balance in full each month

c)

Transfer balance to a higher APR card

d)

Ignore due dates

31.

Which of the following is an example of a fixed interest rate loan?

a)

Adjustable-rate mortgage

b)

Credit card

c)

30-year fixed mortgage

d)

Payday loan

32.

How does inflation impact borrowers and lenders differently?

a)

Borrowers benefit because they repay with less valuable dollars

b)

Lenders benefit because they receive more valuable dollars

c)

Both benefit equally

d)

Neither is affected

33.

Which statement best describes the relationship between risk and return in investments?

a)

Higher risk usually means lower potential return

b)

Higher risk usually means higher potential return

c)

Risk and return are unrelated

d)

Lower risk always means higher return

34.

Why might someone avoid using a title pawn lender?

a)

They offer low interest rates

b)

They require collateral and charge high fees

c)

They provide long repayment terms

d)

They are non-profit

35.

Which of the following best explains why credit unions may offer better savings rates than banks?

a)

They are for-profit institutions

b)

They return earnings to members rather than shareholders

c)

They have fewer customers

d)

They are regulated differently

36.

How do the services, fees, and accessibility of banks, credit unions, payday lenders, and title pawn lenders compare, and what impact do these differences have on consumers’ financial well-being? 

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37.

How does the annual percentage rate (APR) influence the total cost and monthly payments of a loan over time?

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38.

What are the differences between simple, compound, fixed and variable interest and how do they impact debt or savings over time?

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