Financial fair

Staff Sgt. Thomas Morris, left, and Airman 1st Class Hassan Bakhshandeh, both 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron members, get information from Kallie Hannish and Tina Smith of the Better Business Bureau during the Airman and Family Readiness Center’s Financial Fair on Feb. 25 at the Tinker Club. (Air Force photo by Kelly White)

Financial Fair caps Military Saves Month

Published March 5, 2015
By Kimberly Woodruff
Staff Writer

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The Airman and Family Readiness Center hosted a financial fair at the Tinker Club Feb. 25 during Military Saves Week.

"The mission of Military Saves Week is to educate the base population about financial readiness, especially through saving," said Cathy Rosner, Community Readiness Consultant with the A&FRC. "Getting the word out on what is available is crucial so people know how to make sound financial decisions, so we've created a one-stop-shop for information from experts in areas of banking and finance, the Better Business Bureau and Social Security, to name a few."

Some 155 Tinker Team members attended the fair, in which 15 vendors participated. More than 625 attended financial classes during Military Saves month. And, 92 people took the Military Saves pledge, all of whom will receive regular emails throughout the year with motivational tips on how to save more.

Several base and state agencies attended the event, including the Social Security Administration, Operation Homefront, Military Onesource, First National Bank, Tinker Federal Credit Union, Eoctech and Forever For Real.

The Social Security Administration has a website, www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, and anyone can go online and set up an account that will show estimates of the individual's retirement, disability and survivor benefits, earnings record, and estimated Social Security and Medicare taxes paid in. One already receiving Social Security benefits can obtain a benefit verification letter, check benefit and payment information, change address and phone number and start or change direct deposit.

"We offer a free service to help raise consumer awareness so people can feel more protected," said Kitt Letcher, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Oklahoma. The BBB is a free service and people can vet concerns through them concerning businesses, or find out if there have been other complaints on a business they plan on using.

"Participants we spoke with said they thoroughly enjoyed meeting with the experts and having the chance to ask their questions in a casual setting," said Ms. Rosner.