Financial Education for Employees -- in your workplace
Employers: If your company is typical, 30 percent of your employees don't participate in your defined-contribution retirement plan at all. Among those who do, fewer than half contribute the maximum allowed. Many invest too conservatively, borrow from their accounts or pay taxes and penalties on unwise early withdrawals. They're discouraged by the results.
These employees are not getting all they could from their plans -- and neither are you. Poor participation means employees don't appreciate the program you've provided, so you're not getting the recruiting and retention benefit you should. Automatic enrollment can boost participation but makes it even easier for employees to be disengaged. Jeff can help. With a low-cost, easy-to-understand presentation of one to two hours, Jeff will show your employees how to get the most from your program. Jeff will:
Jeff also offers presentations tailored to various groups of employees with specific needs, including:
Pre-retirees -- those within five years of retirement, concerned with post-retirement investing strategies, wealth preservation, required minimum distributions, Social Security and Medicare
Mid-career employees, including those trying to "catch up" on retirement savings and those who need to balance retirement strategies with college costs or providing for elderly parents
Young workers who are just getting started in retirement saving, balancing long-term goals with the need to save for down payments on homes and paying off college loans
College savers choosing between Section 529 plans, Coverdell Accounts and taxable savings as they plan to provide for their children
Homeowners and prospective homeowners seeking advice on choosing a home, picking the best type of mortgage and deciding whether to buy or rent
Why Jeff Brown?
Background
From 1995 to 2007 Jeff was the nationally syndicated personal-finance columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, running in more than 100 newspapers around the country. Today he writes a similar column for MSNBC.com, as well as writing for publications such as The Washington Post and Knowledge@Wharton, the internationally known business Journal at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, where Jeff also teaches writing. Jeff broadcasts a weekly personal-finance column on WHYY, the Philadelphia public radio station. He has been a guest on WHYY's Radio Times, on CNBC and CN8's Money Matters. He is a co-author of the 2005 Wharton Publishing book Lasting Leadership: What You Can Learn from the Top 25 Business People of Our Times.
Jeff has addressed many groups, from trade and professional organizations to investment clubs
Knowledge
Jeff has a reputation for explaining complex personal-finance and investing issues in plain English. Jeff believes anyone can get better investing results by trimming fat from the household budget to free more money to invest, then by selecting a few low-cost mutual funds and sticking with them for the long term.
Credibility
Unlike financial advisors and plan providers such as mutual fund companies, Jeff does not manage client's money or provide services to individuals, so his investment advice is free of conflict of interest. Finacial advisors often use workplace seminars to recruit new clients for high-fee services, relying on scare tactics to convince employees that financial matters are more complex and hazardous than they are. Plan providers have a similar agenda, hoping employees enrolled in defined-contribution plans will sign up for management of taxable accounts or college savings. Employees resent sales pitches disguised as information seminars, undermining the value of education services from advisors and plan providers.
Simplicity Jeff speaks in plain English, not industry jargon. He offers a lively, occasionally light-hearted delivery that connects with all types of audiences.
Jeff Brown has a reputation for straight talk that puts the investor's interests first. He is known for his constant and effective warnings against high fees, overly complex and confusing products and investing through the "rear-view mirror."
Affordability
Inviting Jeff to speak to your employees can cost as little as $1,000. Or invite Jeff to spend a full day, delivering as many presentations on one or more topics as you can schedule.
Contact Jeff Brown Finance: JeffBrown@JeffBrownFinance.com
Jeff Brown Finance
215-595-6624
100 Ovington Road
Yardley, PA 19067
JeffBrown@JeffBrownFinance.com