BOSTON – March 30, 2007 – Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA 9th) and Retirement Living TV today taped for national broadcast a public forum on improving financial literacy among seniors. Rep. Lynch is the author of House Resolution 531, the "Retirement Security Education Act of 2007,” a bill designed to enhance and promote knowledge of financial and retirement issues as well as to reduce financial abuse and fraud among older Americans. Retirement Living TV is the nation’s only cable network aimed at Americans 55 and older.

 

Congressman Lynch and Retirement Living TV taped the hour-long program at the Striar Jewish Community Center in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Retirement Living TV’s John Palmer, former news anchor for NBC’s The Today Show, emceed the program. He and Rep. Lynch were joined by Norfolk District Attorney Bill Keating, retirement advisor Martin Rotenberg of Bank of America, and Annamaria Lusardi, an economics professor at Dartmouth University.

 

"I have the honor of representing 80,000 seniors in my District," said Congressman Lynch.  "Many are managing their finances alone for the first time in their lives, leaving them especially vulnerable to identity theft and fraud.  My hope is that this legislation will make it easier for every senior in our state and our country to become better informed about how to protect themselves and strengthen their financial security."

 

The forum focused on several issues, including saving for retirement, protecting oneself from identity theft and identifying existing programs and agencies that Boston-area seniors can turn to for up-to-date information and advice.

"Computers and the internet have changed the landscape of personal finance for everyone, including seniors," District Attorney Keating said. "Many financial problems and financial crimes can be prevented through education - in events like today's forum and through outreach and education seminars like those we make available in Norfolk County."

Emcee John Palmer is the host of "The Prudent Advisor" on Retirement Living TV. Palmer’s broadcast news career spans four decades, including stints as NBC’s White House correspondent and as news anchor at The Today Show. Palmer also anchored "World Monitor with John Palmer,” the Christian Science Monitor’s daily national news broadcast.

Retirement Living TV can be seen each day in more than 25 million homes across the country, between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on the Direct TV network and between 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Comcast’s CN8 in Boston.

For more information, please contact Jack Deschauer at Qorvis Communications, LLC, at 202-448-3134 or jdeschauer@qorvis.com.

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