Wolf Administration Announces New Program on Achieving Financial Independence, February Outreach Schedule

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of Banking and Securities Robin L. Wiessmann today announced a new consumer outreach program designed to help Pennsylvanians save for retirement. The program -- STaRT (Start Today and Retire Tomorrow) Program, developed for use by state regulators by the North American Securities Administrators Association ? focuses on retirement planning, setting goals, and how to achieve those goals, a cornerstone of Governor Tom Wolf's Consumer Financial Protection Initiative. 

"Most Americans are not saving enough for retirement and many are not saving at all," said Wiessmann. "I am pleased that my colleague George Dillman will begin offering this program to help people get a better snapshot of their future financial planning, regardless of an individual's timeline for retirement. It's never too late to start ? and the good news is that if you make the necessary changes today to meet your goals, you can achieve financial independence tomorrow."

Dillman and other outreach staff from the Department of Banking and Securities will be meeting with senior citizens, professionals, and the public across Pennsylvania during the month of February to promote financial capability

The STaRT program will debut in the following locations:

• Oley Valley Community Library at 339 Main Street in Oley (Berks County) on February 3 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM.
• PA CareerLink Lancaster at 1016 North Charlotte Street in Lancaster (Lancaster County) on February 7 from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM. (Open to partner agency employees ONLY)
• Capitol Region PA CareerLink at 100 North Cameron Street in Harrisburg (Dauphin County) on February 22 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM (Open to partner agency employees ONLY)

For Senior Citizens

The presentation "Avoiding Scams and ID Theft" ? which helps consumers protect themselves from financial scams as well as informs victims of scams on how to get help ? will be offered at Kreider Commons at 631 N. 8^th Street in Lebanon (Lebanon County) on February 20 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM (Open to residents and their guests ONLY)

The presentation "Consumer Fraud Bingo" ? an interactive presentation to help participants learn ways to protect themselves from investment fraud and other financial scams ? will be offered at the following locations:

• Ambler SAAC at 45 Forest Avenue in Ambler (Montgomery County) on February 12 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Non-members wishing to eat lunch must pre-register and are requested to provide a donation of $2.00. Please contact (215) 619-8863.
• Norristown SAAC at 536 George Street in Norristown (Montgomery County) on February 13 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Non-members wishing to eat lunch must pre-register and are requested to provide a donation of $2.00. Please contact (610) 275-1960.

For General Audiences

The presentation "Banking Basics and Credit Reports & Scores" ? including an overview of how banks and credit unions work, including the differences among types of accounts; questions to ask before opening an account; the importance of accuracy on credit reports; how a credit score is calculated; and ways to improve your score ? will be offered at PathStone Corporation in Harrisburg (Dauphin County) on February 8. (Open to program participants ONLY).

For Professionals

The presentation "Senior$afe" ? which helps financial professionals identify the "red flags" of suspicious behavior of their clients and/or those close to their clients ? will be offered on February 7 in Harrisburg (Dauphin County) and on February 15 in Camp Hill (Cumberland County) to a professional group and professional conference, respectively.

The department's Financial Services for Consumers and Business staff works with state and local government agencies, service providers, community and trade organizations, the General Assembly, the military community, schools, and other partners to help Pennsylvanians across the commonwealth become well-informed about the financial marketplace. There are a variety of free, non-commercial programs [PDF] and presentations [PDF] available, or a program can be tailored to a specific group's needs.

The department's Calendar of Events can be found online: http://bit.ly/1KIscBZ. Consumers and community groups can call 1-800-PA-BANKS or email [email protected] for more information. To learn more about the Consumer Financial Protection Initiative, search #GovWolfCFPI on Twitter. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Ed Novak, 717-783-4721

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities