National Financial Capability Month, 2015

Proclamation 9246 of March 31, 2015

National Financial Capability Month, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Our Nation is built on the idea that we do best when
everyone gets a fair shot. Six years after a
devastating recession shook many Americans' faith in
our financial system, our economy is steadily growing
and creating new jobs--but we must do more to restore
the link between hard work and growing opportunity for
every person. We believe responsibility should be
rewarded, and that begins by empowering all people with
the tools and knowledge they need to share in America's
prosperity. During National Financial Capability Month,
we renew our efforts to support the informed financial
decisions that will open doors into the middle class
and help ensure economic security for all.

Critical decisions--from financing higher education to
saving for retirement--can have lasting consequences
for individuals and for our country's economy.
Financial literacy enables people of all ages to make
smart choices and set goals to protect their hard-
earned income. And increasing individuals'
understanding of debt, including mortgages and credit
cards, helps guarantee every person receives equal
treatment and is able to secure lasting opportunity. By
strengthening the financial capability of all
Americans, we are investing in the fundamental promise
of a brighter future and building a more prosperous
Nation.

My Administration continues to take action to provide
all Americans with the resources they need to get
ahead. We launched the ``Know Before You Owe'' campaign
so students and families have a straightforward tool to
compare financial aid offers from different colleges,
and we simplified mortgage forms so homeowners are
better able to comprehend their terms. We started the
myRA program, a new type of savings account to help
Americans take control over their future, and we are
proposing new rules to require financial advisors to
put their clients' interests before their own--ensuring
all who responsibly prepare for retirement receive the
best information possible. To focus on increasing
financial capability in our schools, workplaces, and
communities, I created the President's Advisory Council
on Financial Capability for Young Americans, and last
year, I signed legislation to support programs that
teach young people personal finance skills.

Increasing financial capability across our Nation is an
essential component of middle-class economics. This
month, let us all take time to increase our knowledge
of our finances and encourage our friends and family to
do the same. To start, all Americans can take advantage
of the free, reliable financial resources at
www.MyMoney.gov, www.ConsumerFinance.gov, and 1-800-
FED-INFO.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim April 2015 as
National Financial Capability Month. I call upon all
Americans to observe this month with programs and
activities to improve their understanding of financial
principles and practices.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord two
thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.