South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis, Jr. Launches Financial Education Program with Charleston Elementary Schools

South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis, Jr. Launches Financial Education Program with Charleston Elementary Schools

South Carolina’s Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan Offers Free, Web-based Financial Literacy Program to Elementary Schools Statewide

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Charleston, SC December 1, 2015  South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis, Jr. joined educators from Orange Grove Charter School to launch the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program, an interactive, web-based financial education initiative for elementary-aged students.  South Carolina’s Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan, SC Economics, and EverFi, Inc. have joined together to bring this critical financial education tool to elementary students across South Carolina.

We are excited to be here in Charleston to launch the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program, said Treasurer Loftis.  Financial literacy leads to financial security as well as an awareness of the importance of planning for significant future expenditures, such as a college education.  That’s why the Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan is proud to help bring these critical financial literacy tools to elementary students across South Carolina, Treasurer Loftis added.

South Carolina’s Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan, administered by the Office of South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis, Jr., partnered with SC Economics and the education technology company EverFi, Inc. to bring the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program to students at no cost to the schools or the taxpayer.  The elementary school course features an interactive, new-media learning platform specifically designed to introduce financial literacy skills early in a child’s development. The web-based curriculum aligns with both state and national standards and includes topics such as saving, budgeting, responsibility and decision-making, credit and debt, careers, income, charity, and more.
 
Orange Grove Charter School is focused on preparing students to be problem solvers, life-long learners, and productive members of society, said Mr. John Clendaniel, the Charter School’ s Principal, and financial knowledge is a foundation for all of those characteristics. We are grateful for this partnership with South Carolina’s Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan, which enables us to provide innovative resources and new opportunities to our students.
 

About South Carolina’s Future Scholar 529 College Savings Plan

Future Scholar is an investment account that can help families save over time for the rising cost of a college education. It offers opportunities for tax deductible contributions, tax-deferred growth and tax-free distributions for qualified education-based purposes. Account funds can be used at any eligible two-or four-year educational institution, including out-of-state and some international schools. No minimum amount is required to open a Future Scholar investment account, and anyone can contribute to an account.
 
The Wall Street Journal has recognized Future Scholar as having the highest state tax deduction of any 529 plan in the country, and Money Magazine called Future Scholar a leader in low fees.  Savingforcollege.com ranked Future Scholar as one of the top ten plans in the nation for program performance and one of the top five plans in the nation for lowest program management cost.  
To learn more, visit www.treasurer.sc.gov/ or contact a financial advisor.  No funds from the public treasury are used in the marketing of the Future Scholar plan.

About SC Economics

The SC Council on Economic Education is a statewide non-profit dedicated to improving economic education and financial literacy by helping K-12th grade teachers and students to be active, successful, and prosperous members of our global economy. They offer free teacher training and educational resources as well as a wide variety of highly interactive student games, competitions, and events which make learning fun! Visit our website at www.sceconomics.org for more information or email us at jim.morris@moore.sc.edu.

About EverFi

EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, and certifying K-12 and college students in the critical skills they need for life. The company teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools. Some of America’s leading CEOs and venture capital firms are EverFi investors including Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, Twitter founder Evan Williams, Rethink Education, New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA), and Tomorrow Ventures (the investment arm of Google Chairman Eric Schmidt).  Learn more at www.everfi.com.