METLIFE’S PLANSMART® FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES EXPANDS PROGRAM OFFERINGS

METLIFE’S PLANSMART^® FINANCIAL EDUCATION SERIES EXPANDS PROGRAM OFFERINGS

New York, December 04, 2012

 MetLife today announced that it has expanded the number of offerings available through its popular PlanSmart financial education program—a workplace-based series of financial education and planning workshops—to include an advanced session on investments, a workshop on caring for an aging parent, and a workshop specifically targeted to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. These new offerings complement PlanSmart’s full suite of 17 financial education and planning workshops, fulfilling a strong desire among employees for financial education and planning help in the workplace.

“Financial and retirement education has become a critically important component of a comprehensive employee benefits package,” said Jeff Tulloch, vice president, MetLife. “Today’s employees are looking to employers for financial advice and guidance—in fact, according to a recent survey we conducted, 72 percent of employees say they are interested in their employers providing programs to help them make decisions about their financial needs. PlanSmart helps employers fulfill these desires.”

The new additions to the program are:

• Investing 201—A more in-depth companion to the program’s introductory workshop on investing basics. The course provides those who have attended Investing 101, or who have general investment knowledge, in-depth information about investing in stocks and bonds. It also includes information about tax implications, performance measurement, managing risk, determining the right investments, and common investing terminology.
• Caring for an Aging Parent—Designed for those caring for a spouse, relative or friend, this workshop provides relevant information on anticipating a loved one’s daily living activity needs, preparing for the responsibilities of being a caregiver (including the financial, mental and physical impact caregivers may face), and explores helpful planning options, tips and resources.
• Planning with Pride: A Closer Look at Estate Planning for the LGBT Community—A workshop that focuses on important estate planning considerations for both LGBT individuals and couples, which provides participants with specific solutions for many different situations.
   

The LGBT seminar is the latest addition designed to provide educational workshops that meet employees’ diverse needs. For several years, the PlanSmart program has also offered three Special Needs Planning workshops, aimed at employees who have dependents with special needs. The sessions are designed to help this group understand the legal and financial complexities of special needs planning, and learn how to help secure a lifetime of care and financial freedom for their dependents. These sessions also include a whitepaper that includes ten tips for caregivers of special needs dependents.

The PlanSmart series, launched in 2008, provides financial education to employees of all ages at no cost to the employer or the employee. PlanSmart includes workshops on managing credit, college funding, estate planning and retirement planning, and decision-support assistance for employees facing life changes who may need education and guidance regarding their group life benefits. Employees who are interested in additional information or personal financial planning consultation are given the option to consult individually with a local MetLife professional. The foundation of the workshop series is MetLife’s retirewise® program, which is approaching its five-year anniversary and offers comprehensive retirement education for all employees, regardless of age. The four-part program helps employees with basic financial and retirement planning, and also addresses a broad spectrum of retirement issues, including budgeting, investment principles, social security and estate planning.

For additional information on the program, including information on how businesses can offer sessions to an employee population, visit www.metlife.com/business/benefit-products/financial-education, or contact your local MetLife Account Executive.