SEC to Highlight Free Investor Education Resources During Financial Capability Month

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy (OIEA) today announced that its theme for April’s National Financial Capability Month is, “Investing for everyone.” All month long, SEC leadership and staff will promote the free tools and resources available on Investor.gov and participate in investor education events across the country with various audiences, including students, underrepresented communities, older investors, and the military.

“Investors turn to our capital markets every day, whether to grow a nest egg, plan for retirement, save for an education, or prepare for the inevitable bumps along the way,” said Chair Gary Gensler. “To be an informed investor is to be a more effective investor, and I encourage the public to take advantage of the many resources we offer on Investor.gov.”

Some of the SEC’s latest resources to teach the importance of financial capability and provide tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud, include:

• April’s Financial Capability Month Investing Quiz;
• A high school classroom activity for teachers to use to enhance the educational content of the HoweyTrade Investment Program Avoid Fraud Videos;
• Investor Alert: “Exercise Caution with Crypto Asset Securities”; and
• An article from OIEA Director Lori Schock, “Unsolicited Investment Pitches: Don't Answer! Hang Up! Delete!”

“Our new HoweyTrade Investment Program classroom activity provides an interactive approach for students to learn how to spot and avoid investment scams,” said Ms. Schock. “We also encourage younger investors to check out the saving and investing resources on Investor.gov. Know that the earlier you start understanding the importance of managing your money and building wealth, the stronger your financial future.”

Some of the SEC’s events planned for Financial Capability Month include: 

High School Students – SEC leadership and outreach staff will meet with Washington, D.C. high school students to teach investor education basics and share the new HoweyTrade Investment Program activity. The activity is designed to be used by teachers independently in their classroom. Staff will engage with additional schools to educate students about the importance of building wealth while they are young and help them realize the benefits of watching their money grow through compounding. SEC leadership and staff will also host a joint OIEA, SEC Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI), and SEC African American Council “Financial Literacy and Career Day” program for middle and high school students.

Military – SEC leadership and staff will participate in a joint outreach event with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at a military financial readiness town hall, as well as events at a number of other military installations across the country. Programs will focus on building wealth, protecting investments by recognizing and avoiding scams, and discussing the benefits of tax-advantaged retirement plans, including the military’s Thrift Savings Plan. Outreach events will include active duty, reserve, retired, and veteran service members, as well as military families.

Native Americans – SEC leadership and staff will participate in the Reservation Economic Summit in Nevada to provide investor education materials to highlight the importance of creating a saving and investing plan and how to avoid fraud.

Older Investors – SEC leadership and outreach staff will participate in a Facebook Live event with AARP Fraud Watch Network and The Senior Zone radio program to educate older investors about investing for retirement and steps they can take to protect themselves from scams. Outreach staff will also participate in an Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes event for older adults, entitled “Protecting Your Investments” at Montgomery College. In addition, staff will give presentations to older adults at public libraries.

Women’s Groups, Libraries, Colleges and More – SEC regional office and headquarters staff will engage in dozens of outreach events, including an event with the Coalition of 100 Black Women; the CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) Campaign of Maryland’s “Financial Education Summit” in Baltimore; University of Wisconsin and the State University of New York (SUNY) Rockland presentations about “Investing in the Digital Age for College Students”; Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York; and public libraries in Norfolk, Virginia and Brooklyn, New York.