Resources for Financial Literacy Month

April is Financial Literacy Month – a great time to think about money programs and displays. And, the last week of April is Money Smart Week, a national financial education recognition week. Here are some things you can consider as we head into this big money month: Webinar: CFPB: Partnering with Libraries to Financially Empower Patrons The CFPB has two webinars planned for later this month. The first will be hosted by the U.S. Government Printing Office’s Federal Depository Library Program. The CFPB will be providing an overview of our Community Financial Education Libraries Initiative. If you’re new to this program, or just want a refresher on what the program offers and how to access the free resources we provide, then register today. The 60-minute webinar will begin at 2 p.m. (EDT) on March 23. The webinar is free, but you must register. Webinar: Financial education resources for parents The second webinar will focus on new resources we’ve developed just for parents and children. Parents and caregivers want to get their children off on the right financial footing, but many times don’t know where to start. So, we’re introducing the CFPB’s new Money as You Grow website, which provides the framework and resources to help. This 60-minute webinar will start at 2 p.m. (EDT) on March 24. To join, access the webinar login page at the day and time of the event. For audio, dial 888-795-5920 and enter participant passcode 7173562. Order free money books, brochures, worksheets and more Now’s the time to place your orders for free money guides, worksheets and other materials from the CFPB and other government agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Social Security Administration, Department of Labor and others. Plus, if you’re hosting a Money Smart Week event at your library, you can order free posters, bookmarks and more. Need money related program ideas? Stumped over what to do for Financial Literacy Month or Money Smart Week? Take a look at our list of program ideas for suggestions on topics, resources, partners and more. Our webinar archive can also help you generate ideas. We have more than a dozen to choose from, including: • Retirement planning tools and resources • Helping patrons spot and avoid fraud • New home-buyers (and owners) toolbox • How to promote your financial education program National my Social Security Week One of our national partners, Social Security Administration (SSA) will hold National my Social Security Week April 4 – 13, 2016, during Financial Literacy Month. To help raise awareness, SSA provides a toolkit that includes web graphics, social media posts, web banners, and other ready-to-use content to help us spread the word about the importance of opening a my Social Security account. Creating a my Social Security account gives workers access to their personalized Social Security Statement. It’s free, fast, and secure. The Statement provides estimates of future benefits to help with financial planning. Workers can also use it to check their earnings information. This is important because we base benefit calculations on a worker’s earnings. As an added feature this year, we are setting aside Thursday, April 7, 2016 as Check Your Statement Day, during which time we will encourage workers to access and review their Social Security Statement and join the millions who regularly check their Statement. Digital resources Promote financial education digitally with our free electronic graphics and marketing materials. Add financial screen savers to your computers or web banners to your website. Plus, access the CFPB’s Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages to share our posts, info-graphics and videos with your patrons, like this video from CFPB Director Richard Cordray.