Savings and Investing

Improving knowledge of saving and investing and taking advantage of savings and investment vehicles, such as Trump Accounts for children, can help Americans participate effectively in America’s capital markets, build wealth, and achieve long-term financial security.

Resources

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

  • The Essential Guide to Building an Emergency Fund contains tools to help consumers build an emergency fund and recover more quickly from unplanned expenses.

  • Bank accounts and services resources help consumers understand their options when choosing and using a bank or credit union account.

  • The Money Circle Toolkit helps financial education practitioners start conversations about the feelings and personal relationships that influence money decisions.

  • Future Self Tool helps motivate individuals toward their longer-term financial goals by strengthening their connection to their future selves.

  • Building your savings? Start with small goals booklet has tools to help individuals plan for short-term and long-term goals.

  • Your Money Your Goals Savings Plan tool helps users build a weekly savings plan.

  • Your Money Your Goals Finding a Place for Savings tool helps consumers evaluate the benefits and risks of different places where they can keep their savings.

  

• Department of Labor

  • The Retirement Savings Toolkit is a collection of retirement-planning publications and related resources.

  

• Department of Education

  • Budgeting is a tool that helps individuals create and maintain a budget, manage income and expenses, prepare for unexpected costs, and set financial goals during and after college or career school.

  

• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

  • How Money Smart Are You? offers interactive, self-paced games related to saving and investing, including Building Your Financial Future, You Can Bank On It, Your Income and Expenses, Your Spending and Savings Plan, and Your Savings.

  • Money Smart for Adults provides financial education on key money-management topics, including saving, spending, banking, credit, debt, and planning for future financial goals.

  • Money Smart for Young Adults helps teens and young adults build practical skills related to saving, banking, budgeting, borrowing, and planning for future financial goals.

  • The Money Smart News issue “Youth Financial Readiness: Trump Accounts and Other Savings Tools” highlights Trump Accounts and other savings options and connects them with FDIC Money Smart resources that can help young people develop strong financial skills and savings habits early in life.

  • The FDIC Consumer News offers practical tips to help consumers use financial services safely and make the most of their money. Recent issues include:

    • Your Child’s Financial Building Blocks
    • Strengthening Your Small Business Finances
    • Safeguarding the Nation’s Savings

  • Get Banked provides resources to help consumers understand the benefits of having a bank account, find an FDIC-insured bank, and choose an account that meets their needs and supports their savings and other financial goals.

  • “Know Your Risk. Protect Your Money.” is the FDIC’s national deposit insurance awareness campaign that helps consumers understand how FDIC deposit insurance protects their money in the event of a bank failure and provides tools for determining whether their funds are held at an FDIC-insured bank.

  

• Federal Trade Commission

  • Money-Making Opportunities and Investments resources help consumers spot the signs of scams that promise a big payoff and protect their investment and savings.

  

• Department of Housing and Urban Development

  • HUD’s housing counseling program helps families obtain, sustain and retain their homes through assistance provided by a network of HUD participating housing counseling agencies.

  

• National Credit Union Administration

  • MyCreditUnion.gov is the NCUA’s official consumer financial protection website, offering interactive learning tools and financial resources.

  • Money Basics Guide to Budgeting and Savings discusses the importance of saving, developing saving habits, and setting a savings goal.

  • Retirement offers information and resources to help consumers plan for retirement, including when they should start planning, how much money they will need, types of retirement plans, and frequently asked questions.

  • NCUA’s Consumer Videos on Saving and Investing cover a range of topics including mortgage interest rates, payday loans, credit reports, cryptocurrency, and ABLE accounts.

  • NCUA’s Webinars on Saving and Investing cover topics such as financial planning, saving for retirement, financial capability, protecting older Americans against financial exploitation, and preparing for natural disasters.

  • How Do I Start Saving? has information on the importance of saving and how to open a savings account.

  • The How Your Accounts Are Federally Insured brochure has information on NCUA’s insurance coverage of credit union member accounts.

  

• Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

  • HelpWithMyBank.gov has answers to commonly asked banking questions and an online complaint form for customers wishing to make a complaint or inquiry about a bank.

  • BankWise – Your Rights Simplified is a series of fact sheets about federal consumer protection laws and regulations that apply to national banks and federal savings associations. The fact sheets cover how to get assistance and file a complaint.

  • School-Based Bank Savings Programs: Bringing Financial Education to Students provides guidance on how to establish school-based bank savings programs and how these programs operate.

  • Youth Savings Programs: Guidance to Encourage Financial Institutions’ Youth Savings Programs and Address Related Frequently Asked Questions. This bulletin answers questions that may arise as banks and federal savings associations collaborate with schools and other community stakeholders to facilitate youth savings and financial education programs.

  

• Office of Personnel Management

  • Federal Ballpark E$timate is a tool that helps federal employees estimate retirement savings needs using projected federal annuity and Thrift Savings Plan benefits.

  • Pre-Retirement Planning Resources provide guidance on preparing for retirement and making benefit decisions.

  • Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Calculator allows users to compare life insurance coverage and premiums and understand how coverage changes in retirement.

  • Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Plan Comparison Tool helps eligible users compare health plan costs and benefits.

  • Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) Plan Comparison Tool helps eligible users compare dental and vision coverage and costs.

  

• Securities and Exchange Commission

  • Introduction to Investing offers investing information and resources to help consumers build wealth and a strong financial future.

  

• Social Security Administration

  • Retirement Benefits offers resources to help individuals plan for retirement. Topics include benefit eligibility, claiming options, retirement calculators, and considerations for working while receiving benefits. The resources explore the role of Social Security as part of a comprehensive retirement income plan.

  • my Social Security allows individuals to securely access personalized retirement estimates, review earnings records, and use planning tools.

  • The Social Security Statement provides a personalized overview of estimated future retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, along with an individual’s lifetime earnings history.