New Outreach Program Designed to Help Women Strengthen Financial Confidence WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 2, 2020) —In recognition of Women’s History Month and the women’s suffrage centennial, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) has developed an outreach program to help state and provincial securities regulators provide investor education that delivers practical tools addressing the unique investing issues faced by women.

Through the “Financial Empowerment for Women” initiative, state and provincial securities regulators in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will work with local partners to offer free workshops to help women think about their financial profile, risk tolerance and financial goals, said Christopher W. Gerold, NASAA President and Chief of the New Jersey Bureau of Securities.

“It is extremely important that women have the tools to plan for their financial future,” Gerold said. “Our goal is to provide resources to help women strengthen their financial confidence and avoid investment fraud.”

“Research shows that nearly all women will be financially responsible for themselves or their families at some point in their lives. But many are under‐prepared to face these challenges,” said Lisa Hopkins, NASAA President-elect and West Virginia’s Senior Deputy Commissioner of Securities.

Women comprise nearly half of the workforce in the United States and are earning more than ever before, with income growth up 75% in the past 45 years. Yet research shows the average single woman has three times less wealth than the average man and one-quarter of all women indicate they have not planned for their financial future.

“All too often the financial deck is still stacked against women due to unique challenges such as longer life spans, filling the role as full-time caregivers for children and parents, and the gender pay gap,” said Lynne Egan, Montana’s Deputy Securities Commissioner and chair of NASAA’s Investor Education Section, which includes the Senior Outreach Project Group that developed the new outreach initiative.

In response, NASAA has developed new resources to help provide information to help women plan for their financial future and avoid securities fraud. Resources in the Financial Empowerment for Women program include information sheets and presentations on investment fraud, information on where to get additional assistance.

To learn more, or to request a free presentation for your organization, please contact your jurisdiction’s securities regulator. Contact information is available on NASAA’s website at www.nasaa.org.