Last night, we celebrated the completion of the Fall session of the First-Time Investor Program (F-TIP) for Veterans with a graduation ceremony and reception at our New York office for the 15 participants who earned this achievement. We opened program enrollment to active-duty service members for this cohort and remain excited to provide this vital financial literacy tool as they transition out of the military. According to a recent survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), veterans are almost twice as likely to have debt carried over from month to month (58%) than civilians (just 34%). Nearly the same percentage of veterans (55%) believe they are ill-prepared for a financial emergency.

The six-week F-TIP course educates veterans about the investment tools available to help them prepare for their financial future. Each week, senior executives from AmeriVet Securities and Signature Bank volunteer time after work hours to explain various investment products and strategies for long-term investing. Upon graduation, Signature Securities Group works with each veteran to open an investment account with cost-free management services for two years.

We thank Signature Bank for their continued partnership and support of the veteran community as we all show our gratitude for their selfless service to the country!