Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino encourages residents to participate in Westchester Community College's second annual Financial Education Day, a free financial conference on Saturday, March 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gateway Center on the college's Valhalla campus.
The event will address a wide range of issues such as planning for retirement, estate planning, investing basics, elder care, social security, insurance, managing credit and debt, paying for college, and starting a business.
"It isn't always easy to keep your finances on track, but of course it is of the utmost importance," Astorino said. "Whether you're a college student, starting a business or planning for retirement, there will be valuable information for everyone."
Hosted by the college's Center for Financial and Economic Education and the Westchester Community College Alumni Association, the conference will offer participants the chance to attend workshops presented by some of the Hudson Valley's leading financial experts.
The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration and continental breakfast, followed by the keynote address at 9 a.m. featuring Kiran Chetry, former host of CNN's American Morning. The program continues from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with 26 hour-long workshops targeted to specific financial topics.
Partnering with the college to organize this event is the Westchester Financial Education Alliance, which includes prominent community organizations: the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, the Financial Planning Association of the Greater Hudson Valley, and GreenPath Debt Solutions. Also partners in the program are the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services and its Livable Communities initiative, and the Public Private Partnership for Aging Services.
"The Westchester Financial Education Alliance and other organizations have joined us in organizing this event because we all recognize the urgent need that many individuals have for accurate and unbiased financial information," says Suzanne Matthews, Director of the college's Center for Financial and Economic Education.
Presentations will be made by expert speakers from leading financial firms such as Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan Chase, Ameriprise Financial, and BNC Insurance & Risk Advisors. The program features several workshop tracks targeted to different demographic groups.
The workshop track for seniors and individuals approaching retirement will offer sessions on topics such as estate planning, retirement planning, Social Security, long-term care, and reverse mortgages. The track for veterans will include three separate sessions on financial issues impacting veterans, such as health benefits, job training opportunities, compensation, and pensions. The track for women will tackle issues particular to women, including sessions on money management and estate planning.
Private consultations will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Credit counselors and experienced professionals from the Financial Planning Association will be on hand to discuss specific questions in these individual sessions.
Sandford (Sandy) Wollman, Director of Pro Bono and Public Awareness for the Financial Planning Association/Greater Hudson Valley says, "We are pleased that so many of our members who are financial professionals have volunteered to be involved in the one-on-one consultations as well as making presentations. In today's complex world, many people simply do not know where to go to get reliable financial advice."
All of the information and advice offered at Financial Education Day will be free, factual and unbiased. The services are on a "no-strings-attached" basis, and one-on-one consultations will be kept strictly confidential. Individuals may register online, by phone, or by showing up at the door on March 23. However, since space is limited, participants are strongly encouraged to register in advance.
The Center for Financial and Economic Education at Westchester Community College is generously funded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. Financial Education Day is also sponsored by Merrill Lynch, BNC Insurance and Risk Advisors, the Academic Federal Credit Union, College Planning 101, Maier Markey and Justic LLP, and J.D.Moschitto & Associates, Inc.
For registration and schedule information, go to www.mysunywcc.org and look for Financial Education Day on the calendar. To register by phone, call (914) 606-6559. For more information, contact Suzanne Matthews at (914) 606-5627.