ICI Education Foundation Encourages Investor Education to Promote Positive Financial Habits

At Capitol Hill Event, ICIEF to Exhibit Investing Program for Students

Washington, DC, April 2, 2018—The Investment Company Institute Education Foundation (ICIEF) is renewing its push for greater efforts to increase individual understanding of investing and healthy financial habits, in marking Financial Literacy Month this April.

As part of this focus, ICIEF will celebrate Financial Literacy Day with an event on Capitol Hill, using its “Investing Road Trip”—an interactive investor education exhibit that helps teach important basics on savings and investment. This public event is sponsored by a coalition of more than 50 government, for-profit, and nonprofit entities. Financial Literacy Month also provides ICIEF an occasion to encourage Americans to take advantage of the many online resources available to help with financial learning and planning.

“Boosting investor education is a crucial element of increasing financial literacy,” said Tina Kilroy, vice president at ICIEF. “We are working to expand efforts to educate would-be and current investors about the potential of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and other tools to put them on a course toward achieving their personal financial goals. We meet many individuals who want to get smarter about money and savings, and Financial Literacy Month provides a good opportunity to help them learn how.”

The following is a list of resources and tips for individuals interested in focusing on developing healthy financial habits during Financial Literacy Month:

Join ICIEF on Capitol Hill on April 12. ICIEF will display its “Investing Road Trip” educational exhibit and scavenger hunt game during the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy Hill Day, from noon to 3 p.m. on April 12 in the Hart Senate Office Building, Room 902. Hill Day is free and open to the public. The event will feature remarks from elected officials and a complimentary buffet lunch. For those who are interested, Hill Day announcements will be made on Twitter, using #FLHillDay2018.

Contribute to an IRA. Join the 44 million US households that own an individual retirement account (IRA) and learn how opening an IRA can help you save for retirement. Contributing to an IRA before April 17, 2018 (Tax Day) may qualify savers for a deduction on their 2017 tax returns.

Start on the path to financial wellness. Follow this 30-step path to improve money management, starting by examining attitudes about money.

Check out online educational tools and games. The website of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, mymoney.gov, offers free resources from more than 20 federal government agencies.

Do your “due diligence” on investments. Learn how to research investments and financial professionals before making an investment decision.

Visit a local library. Locations around the country offer fun and informative events designed to help savers better manage their personal finances during Money Smart Week, April 21–28.

Teach kids about money. According to a survey from T. Rowe Price, parents who discuss financial topics with their kids at least once a week are nearly twice as likely to have kids who say they are smart about money. Teach Children to Save Day is Friday, April 20.