Stock Based Loan Programs: What Investors Need to Know

Investors who need cash — or who want to tap the value of their portfolios without selling their investments — might be tempted to apply for a "stock-based loan," pledging fully paid securities as collateral for the loan.

However, stock-based loan programs can be risky, especially when they involve "non-recourse" loans from unregistered, unregulated, third-party lenders.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority recently issued an alert regarding Stock Based Loan programs providing investors with information they need to know.

View the FINRA alert

Report & Recommendations Submitted To Governor And Legislature

The Washington Financial Literacy Work Group has submitted its final report and recommendations to Governor Chris Gregoire and members of the legislature.

View the report online:
Final Report (PDF)
Final Recommendations (PDF)
Supporting Documents For Final Report (PDF)

Washington Financial Literacy Work Group Finalizes Recommendations

Members of the Washington Financial Literacy Work Group have finalized the recommendations that they'd like to make to the Governor and members of the Legislature.

DFI is busy putting together a report that will be delivered to the Governor on December 1, 2008.

View A Copy Of The Recommendations (PDF)

Interim Report # 2 Sent To Governor's Office

The Washington Financial Literacy Work Group recently sent its second interim report to the Governor's Office.

This interim report identifies the gaps and needs for financial education in Washington State.

View Interim Report # 2 (PDF)

Draft 1 Of Financial Literacy Recommendations

At the last Financial Literacy Work Group meeting, the Work Group developed its first draft of recommendations.

These recommendations will be fine tuned during the next 2 months and will be presented to the Governor and members of the Legislature on December 1, 2008.

View Draft 1 Of Recommendations (PDF)

Audio and Meeting Minutes from July 23, 2008 Meeting Now Available

Listen to the financial literacy Work Group discuss the gaps and needs for financial literacy in Washington State.

Streaming Audio: http://dfi.wa.gov/work-group/audio/full-wg-july-23.asx
Meeting Minutes: http://dfi.wa.gov/work-group/notes/july-23-fg-meeting.pdf

The next Work Group meeting is this Wednesday, August 20th, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm.

Preliminary Recommendations From The Non-Profit Subcommittee

The subcommittees have been working hard to come up with recommendations that they would like to include in the final report to the Governor and members of the Legislature.

Below are some DRAFT recommendations that the non profit subcommittee has come up with. The full Work Group will discuss these recommendations at the next meeting on Wednesday, August 20th.

• Provide incentives for participation in financial education
  
• Establish broad based financial literacy marketing and outreach campaign
  
• Create dedicated state funding source for financial education and related asset building activities
  
• Mandate/strongly encourage that integration of financial literacy into existing services for targeted populations
  
• Create instructors’ learning center/clearinghouse
  
• Establish a demonstration project through local asset building coalitions to bring financial fitness to scale in one community
  
• Ensure competent lead organization to manage and continually update clearinghouse system
  
• Mandate financial literacy as part of K-12 learning (implement FLPPP recommendations)