Citizens in 11 states and the District of Columbia (DC) are eligible to participate in an investor education and protection program and contest taking place March 15-May 15, 2016. The DASH for the STASH program is being launched by state securities agencies and the nonprofit Investor Protection Institute. The Investor Protection Institute and participating state securities agencies will present the winners in each state and DC with a $1,000 prize to open or add to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for 2016.
Along with the District of Columbia, the 11 participating states are Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Virginia. DASH for the STASH will be offered at public libraries and other locations in the participating states and DC. For the current list of DASH for the STASH locations, go online to http://www.iInvest.org/programs/dash-for-the-stash.
The DASH for the STASH contest is played much like a scavenger hunt. But instead of collecting objects, individuals collect information about saving and investing and leave answers to quiz questions. To enter the contest, individuals visit a participating library or other location where a set of four investor education topic posters (and one rules poster) are displayed. Contestants read each poster and then access the quiz question for each poster.
“DASH for the STASH is a great way to engage consumers, especially younger people, who have not yet started to pay attention to this critical part of their financial outlook,” said Don Blandin, president and CEO of the Investor Protection Institute. “Our goal is to lead individuals to venues, such as public libraries, where they can find reliable investor education and protection resources.”
The DASH for the STASH posters each have a QR code and a web link to a quiz that individuals will access to answer questions and participate in the contest. The posters cover four key topics: finding financial advisers, avoiding fraud, understanding investment fees, and building a nest egg. The easiest way to play DASH for the STASH is to use a smartphone or mobile device to scan each poster’s QR code, but you also will be able to use a laptop or desktop computer at most locations.
[box type=”note”]In addition to English language posters, select DASH for the STASH locations will have posters in Spanish and/or Chinese.[/box]
For more information about DASH for the STASH rules, go to http://www.iInvest.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DASH-for-the-STASH_2016_Rules.pdf.
The Investor Protection Institute (http://www.iInvest.org) is an independent nonprofit organization that advances investor protection by conducting and supporting unbiased research and groundbreaking education programs. IPI carries out its mission through investor education, protection and research programs delivered at the national and grassroots level in collaboration with state securities regulators, nonprofits, universities, and other strategic partners.
Photo credit: 401(K) 2013 via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-SA
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