Financial Education Resources – Retirement Planning
Curricula and Programs
Personal Finance Curriculum
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
As part of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s
community relations program, a personal finance curriculum
was developed and is being taught to middle-school students.
Course objectives and materials are provided online.
Social Security and You
Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers a curriculum
program for grades 9 through 12 entitled, "Social Security
and You," geared to the interest level of young people
about to enter the workforce. SSA has also partnered with
the American Savings Education Council to promote the "National
Save for Your Future" Campaign.
Strengthening
the Family in the 21st Century: Financial Security
Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau
The Women’s Bureau is sponsoring a Financial Security
Outreach Program that will help women across the country
better understand the importance of financial security and
how to achieve it. This financial outreach program is comprised
of two projects. The Hispanic Financial Literacy Project
(“Las Mujeres y el Dinero”) is a series of 10
nation-wide financial education conferences designed for
Hispanic women. “WI$E UP” is an e-mentoring
financial security and retirement savings demonstration
project focused upon women 22-35 years old consisting of
a curriculum accessible via the web and at selected institutions
in six Women’s Bureau regions.
Other Initiatives and Resource Centers
Federal Citizen Information Center
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration distributes financial
education materials developed throughout the Federal Government
through its Federal Citizen Information Center. The center
acts as a clearinghouse, distributing various consumer-oriented
publications via its website and regular mail dealing with
personal finance, money, credit, investing & saving,
and retirement planning, among other topics.
Financial Security in Later Life
Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education,
and Extension Service
Financial security is the ability to meet future needs
while keeping pace with day-to-day obligations. Preparing
for retirement and potential long-term care costs takes
planning, saving, and debt control. This Cooperative Extension
initiative seeks to help people improve personal finance
behaviors leading to financial security in later life, enhance
the capacity of local educators and their partners to deliver
effective programs, and increase economic vitality and quality
of life for families and communities.
LIFELines Services Network
Department of Defense, United States Navy
The U.S. Navy's LIFELine Services Network is a web portal
providing "Quality of Life" information to military
personnel and their families. Through the LIFELines Financial
Management section, military personnel are provided information
and tools for saving money and handling income and expenses
while enabling their family to work toward financial stability.
Topics include budgeting, understanding income, understanding
credit, investing, and retirement.
Military Assistance Program – The Money Station
Department of Defense
The Department of Defense has established the Military Assistance Program – The Money Station to give servicemembers and their families a chance to learn more about personal finances and to encourage them to better manage their money. This initiative is directed toward junior enlisted servicemembers who are most at risk and spouses of service members who have not received the personal finance information that is part of military training.
National
Credit Union Administration
The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is the
independent federal agency that charters and supervises
federal credit unions. The NCUA works with credit unions
to provide opportunities for economic empowerment and access
to low-cost financial services. The NCUA website features
links to its "Access Across America" initiative and the
agency's Share Insurance Estimator.
National
Summit on Retirement Savings
Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
As directed by the SAVER Act, the Department of Labor's
Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration coordinates
the National Summit on Retirement Savings, co-hosted by
the President and the Congressional leadership in the House
and Senate. Summits have been held in 1998 and 2002; the
next Summit is scheduled for 2005. The purpose of the Summit
is to increase public awareness of the importance of retirement
planning and to identify ways to promote greater retirement
savings by all Americans.
Office of Financial Education
Department of the Treasury
The mission for the OFE is to ensure that Americans have
access to financial education programs and that they obtain
the practical knowledge and skill sets that will enable
them to make informed financial choices throughout various
life stages. For example, the ability to evaluate credit
card offers or the practical skill to compare retirement
plans. The OFE also focuses Treasury’s financial education
policymaking, and coordinates financial education initiatives
within the Department and all of its bureaus.
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Department of the Treasury
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) encourages
bank participation in financial literacy initiatives. Involvement
in these programs helps banks develop new customers while
enhancing their visibility in the communities they serve.
Bank participation in financial literacy programs also may
receive positive consideration under the Community Reinvestment
Act.
Office of Thrift Supervision
Department of the Treasury
The Office of Thrift Supervision promotes financial literacy
through its community affairs activities and partnerships
with various financial education organizations.
Personal Financial Education
Federal Reserve
The Federal Reserve provides economic literacy materials
to help students and the public better understand the U.S.
economy and the role of the Federal Reserve. Each of the
twelve Federal Reserve Banks supports this objective through
a wide variety of education partnerships, publications,
learning tools, and student challenge contests. Links to
Financial Education resources offered through each of the
twelve Federal Reserve banks are available through the Personal
Financial Education website.
Retirement
Savings Education Campaign
Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration
The Department launched its Retirement Savings Education
Campaign in 1995, which subsequently became mandated under
the Savings Are Vital to Everyone's Retirement Act of 1997
(SAVER Act). The Campaign, whose slogan is "Saving
Matters", continues to reach out to workers with access
to a workplace retirement plan, encouraging them to participate
and enjoy the many advantages of that method of saving or
expand their participation to the maximum level allowed.
The Campaign also continues to reach small employers, encouraging
them to set up a plan for their employees and assisting
them in setting up and operating the plan.
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