Tuesday, October 21, 2014

NBC News and Citi Announce New Book: Operation Money: A Financial Guide for Military Service Members and Families

Free E-Book for Military Families by NBC’s TODAY 
Financial Editor Jean Chatzky Available Now

Chatzky Gives Practical and Useful Tips On Saving, Spending and Planning

NEW YORK, NY— October 21, 2014 — NBC News and Citi on Tuesday announced the release of Operation Money: A Financial Guide for Military Service Members and Families, a free e-book for veterans and their families by Jean Chatzky, bestselling author and financial editor of NBC’s TODAY.

The e-book addresses the financial impact from deployments and regular relocations, as well as how to make the most of military benefits. It features actionable advice, including a step-by-step guide to reducing debt, information on the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, and tips on military service clauses in lease contracts.

Operation Money: A Financial Guide for Military Service Members and Families is now available for iPad, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and various Android devices. This free resource can be read online at http://www.operationmoneybook.com or downloaded from online retailers, including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and iTunes.

Many military families struggle to find affordable childcare and housing or save for the future. Today, 65% of military families say they experience stress when it comes to their finances, according to Blue Star Families. The e-book – with chapters including “Budgeting Boot Camp,” “Homeownership,” “Cars,” “Protecting Your Family,” and “Finance for Caregivers” – offers financial management strategies specifically tailored for military families and veterans.

“When it comes to their finances military families experience stresses that are different – and often more severe – than other families,” said Jean Chatzky.  “I’m delighted to have been able to work with NBC News and Citi to provide them with a free resource to lead them in the right direction.”

Citi is committed to advancing financial education and employment opportunities in the veterans community. Citi’s support for Operation Money complements the work of Citi Salutes, a company-wide initiative, led by Citi Community Development with employees across the firm, which supports servicemembers and their families through career development opportunities, banking services, and partnerships with leading veterans organizations. 

“With Citi Salutes, we address the financial capability challenges servicemembers may face, and work with partners to develop solutions for the various stages, from deployment to civilian employment,” said Bob Annibale, Global Director of Citi Community Development. “We are pleased to support Operation Money as a widely available and free e-book, and we will continue to stand behind our military veterans and their families.”

"The financial aspect of transitioning out of the military and into a new job or career is one of the most difficult and complicated aspects facing our service men and women. It is Citi's hope that this book will help military families make the transition with the least amount of disruption,” said Suni Harford, Managing Director and Head of North America Markets at Citi.

This is NBC News and Citi’s second e-book project, following the publication of Heroes Get Hired: How to Use Your Military Experience to Master the Interview, which is available for download at http://www.heroesgethired.com. The e-book was produced with the support of Blue Star Families, Military Spouse Corporate career network, Corporate America Supports You, and Veterans Plus.

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About NBC News
NBC News is a global leader in news across all broadcast and digital platforms. Its leading and award-winning television news broadcasts include NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, TODAY, Meet the Press and Dateline, as well as primetime specials and breaking news reports. The rapidly-growing NBC News Digital Group, along with the well-established NBC News Radio with 750 stations nationwide, provide continuous content to consumers wherever they are, whenever they want it. NBC News also operates Peacock Productions, an award-winning in-house production company, and the NBC NewsChannel affiliate news service. NBC News is part of the NBCUniversal News Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is owned by Comcast Corporation.

About Citi
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.



Media Contacts:
Farrin Jay
(212) 664-4825
farrin.jay@nbcuni.com

Kamran Mumtaz
(212) 793-7682
kamran.mumtaz @citi.com