ICI Education Foundation Encourages Participation in Financial Literacy Month

Washington, DC, April 5, 2012 - The Investment Company Institute Education Foundation (ICIEF) encourages all Americans to participate in Financial Literacy Month. Congress has been designating April “Financial Literacy Month” since 2003.

“The earlier in their lives that Americans understand the importance of saving and investing, the better equipped they’ll be to achieve long-term goals such as education and retirement,” said ICI President Paul Schott Stevens. “Promoting financial literacy is imperative, and we commend leaders in Congress and advocates throughout the nation who are committed to financial literacy.”

“Financial Literacy Month is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of local resources and programs focused on developing healthy financial habits,” said Sue Duncan, Vice President of ICI’s Education Foundation and President of the Greater Washington Jump$tart Coalition.

ICIEF, which promotes financial literacy within the Washington, DC region, is highlighting a number of April events, including:

• “Financial Fitness Day” for University of Maryland students, faculty, and staff on April 3, includes workshops on planning for retirement and investing in uncertain times, as well as free consultations with financial planners This is the final session of a University of Maryland investment education series underwritten by ICIEF.
• Financial awards available to Washington, DC high schools and students participating in the National Financial Capability Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Education and Treasury. (Click here for a video of last year’s winners.) The online Challenge is open to all high schools March 12 – April 13.
• “Making Your Money Work for You,” new motion-capture technology in ICIEF’s Finance Park storefront which allows Fairfax County middle-school students to select and explore money management topics by using their shadows to move a selector box across projected images on the storefront wall. (Click here for a video of students using this learning tool.) The Finance Park facility—a joint initiative of Fairfax County Public Schools and Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, with the support of the local business community—is the culminating activity in a four-week 8th grade curriculum.
• Financial Literacy Day on the Hill, co-hosted by the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, Junior Achievement, and the Council for Economic Education, featuring more than 60 financial literacy exhibitors. This event, which is open to the public, will take place on April 17, from 12:00-3:30pm, in the Hart Senate Office Building, Room 902.
• For Tax Day, check out these social media tools from IRS: daily tax tips on Twitter, video tax tips on YouTube, and a smartphone app to check the status of your tax refund.