WASHINGTON — Comptroller of the Currency Thomas J. Curry today issued the following statement in recognition of America Saves Week, February 22 – 27, 2016:
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is pleased to support America Saves Week, which encourages individuals and families to prepare for the future and build personal wealth.
National banks and federal savings associations play an important role in helping Americans build savings. America Saves Week provides an excellent opportunity for financial institutions to offer tools and services for millions to meet their savings goals.
I commend the Consumer Federation of America and the American Savings Education Council for their commitment to this important issue. I encourage banks and thrifts to seek responsible, innovative solutions that make achieving goals easier and more accessible for customers everywhere. I also want to recognize the many national banks and federal savings associations that participated in previous campaigns by partnering with community organizations to encourage savings through activities such as:
- Sponsoring financial literacy programs that focus on basic financial services, asset building and credit management.
- Implementing school-based savings programs to help students learn about the importance of saving money and other money management skills.
- Offering bank-sponsored savings match programs, also known as Individual Development Accounts.
The OCC offers a range of resources on saving and financial literacy to consumers and financial institutions on its Web site, www.occ.gov. The OCC’s District Community Affairs Officers are available nationwide to provide information about programs banks can initiate to promote savings by their customers.
Related Links
- Financial Literacy Resource Directory
- Financial Literacy Update
- Bank Savings Incentive Programs Fact Sheet (PDF)
- School-Based Bank Savings Programs Fact Sheet (PDF)
- Individual Development Accounts: An Asset Building Product for Lower-Income Consumers (PDF)
- Individual Development Accounts Fact Sheet (PDF)
- Help With My Bank Consumer Information Web Site