First Citizens Introduces 'Smart Women'
This article is republished with the permission of the State Gazette and Rachel Townsend.

http://www.stategazette.com/story/2489837.html
RACHEL TOWNSEND
rtownsend@stategazette.com
State Gazette photos/ Rachel Townsend

Saturday, March 3, 2018
Special to the State Gazette

 

Judy Long, President and Chief Operating Officer of First Citizens National Bank, announces "Smart Women", a program with a goal of helping women to bridge the financial literacy gap. The program is designed to empower women, through education, to feel confident making difficult financial decisions. Women of all demographics find it more challenging and feel less confident than men when it comes to making financial decisions regarding life changing events caused by death, retirement, divorce, and other uncontrollable circumstances.


Long stated, "Teammates at First Citizens National Bank want to offer this program to help our mothers, sisters, family members, friends, and neighbors to have confidence in managing their cash flow, debt, and investments during life-changing events. ‘Smart Women’ is just the type of program that research shows us is needed to achieve our goal. We want to encourage ladies to attend ‘Smart Women’ events and become more educated on how to meet the challenges that face us when we are forced to deal with our finances. When we are empowered to make informed and effective (GOOD) financial decisions, we open the doors to many opportunities in life and potentially life-changing results.”

First Citizens National Bank kicks off the commitment to empower through financial education at the first “Smart Women” community event on Thursday, March 22. Sheila Jones, First Citizens Investment Services, has invited Social Security expert Susan Woods to provide women with helpful insight to benefits. Two sessions for Understanding Social Security Benefits will be offered (11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.). To register for either session, please contact Sandy Tarkington, starkington@firstcnb.com, as seating is limited. Future sessions are likely to include topics of financial interest such as identity theft, budgeting, and retirement income planning.


Through a partnership with McIver's Grant Public Library, the bank is excited about the wealth of financial resources available to our community. Local library director Kathryn McBride will provide a resource list of materials to “Smart Women” event attendees. Mary Carpenter, Obion River Regional Director of Tennessee State Library and Archives says, “Not only do today’s women need to have basic literacy skills in order to successfully navigate life in the 21st century, but they also need a working knowledge of personal finance and planning. Financial literacy is the key to strong, independent, and successful women. I am grateful that Judy Long and First Citizens National Bank have taken the initiative to make a difference.”