April is Financial Literacy month and the end of tax season, a good time to plan for the future and prepare for uncertain times and emergencies. To help you get started, Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) is hosting various programs relevant to your personal finances throughout the year for all ages. Here's the lineup:
VITA Volunteer Tax Assistance @ Milpitas Library
Sundays through April 13, 2025
Milpitas Library is hosting free VITA tax assistance for qualifying individuals and families in-person. To find out if you qualify, to make an appointment and to learn what to bring,
register online: https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/v2/events?q=VITA%20Tax%20Assistance
Financial Planning Events throughout the Year and County
Cupertino Library
Retirement Roadmap: Navigating Your Financial Future
Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 7:00PM – 8:30PM
Room 201
Register: https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/events/67c6538b075f7728006eedf6
Book Discussion: Fluke: Chance Chaos and Why Everything We Do Matters by Brian Klaas
Sunday, June 8, 2025, 11:00AM – 12:30PM
Room 201B
This book explores how everything we do matters even in a world ruled by seemingly random events. Think about how this could apply to your financial situation.
Los Altos Library
Piggy Bank Pioneers
Sunday, April 13, 11:00am–12:00pm
Join members of Mountain View High School’s Personal Finance Club to improve financial literacy skills through a fun, interactive game! This month's game will be "Piggy Bank Theater", designed for children ages 3-6.
Register: https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/events/67d05fd74225953e0013da49
Milpitas Library
Home Buying Seminar
Saturday, April 12, 2025, 11:00AM – 1:00PM
Learn about the ins and outs of buying a home. Topics covered will include preparing to buy a home, buying vs. renting, down payments, credit checks, mortgage terms, first-time homebuyer credits, and much more.
Saratoga Library
Financial Planner @ the Library
Throughout the year Saratoga Library will host free 15-minute consultations with a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) to answer personal finance questions you may have. The CFPs are members of the Financial Planners Association of Silicon Valley and are providing this service on a volunteer basis. Six bookings per slot are available; registration is required.
Here is the schedule for the rest of the year:
- Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 7:00PM – 8:30PM
- Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 7:00PM – 8:30PM
- Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 7:00PM – 8:30PM
Saratoga Safety Programs
Your homes and neighborhoods are among your most precious belongings. Learn how to keep them safe by attending these programs.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 7:00PM – 7:45PM
Neighborhood Watch is a great way to maintain a healthy and vibrant neighborhood while helping local law enforcement and first responders keep neighborhoods safe. A neighborhood of people who know one another, as well as the typical behaviors and happenings that take place on their block, are better able to identify and report unusual activities to law enforcement and to help each other.
This is an excellent opportunity to learn about Saratoga's Neighborhood Watch from its lead, Dory Albert. She will describe the objectives, benefits and how to start a group in your neighborhood.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 7:45PM - 8:30PM
As the horrific fires in Southern California reminded us, large scale infernos are not a matter of “if” but “when” for all communities in the state, not to mention earthquakes and flooding. Community Emergency Response Teams or CERTs are crucial in bridging the gap between emergencies and professional responders and fostering a more resilient community.
If you are thinking about joining CERT, Chuck Rader, the Volunteer Program Lead for Saratoga’s CERT, will present an overview of the national and the city’s CERT programs. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about what CERT training includes and how you can contribute to community preparedness and response to disasters.
Virtual Programs
Building a Strong Financial Future: Strategies for Age 45 to Retirement
Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 7:00PM – 7:45PM
The following retirement topics will be covered in this workshop:
- Retirement saving needs including estimating Social Security benefits and the impact of inflation
- Asset allocation strategies appropriate for workers aged 45 and over
- Challenges that people may encounter as they try to build a nest egg and make retirement savings a priority.
Register: https://sccl.bibliocommons.com/events/677342265ca5ec68c1bf31dc
Electronic Resources
You can also explore SCCLD’s Smart Investing webpage and monthly Booklists that cover a variety of personal finance topics such as:
- Personal Finance - Budgeting
- Taxes
- Credit and Debt Management
- Financial Emergencies
- Financing College
- Investing
- Estate Planning
"Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." – Warren Buffett, American investor, philanthropist and chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. In other words, a comfortable future requires a vision and planning.
