AARP in Your State

June 2008

Thwart thieves – Lawmakers have passed a bill (HB 130) designed to prevent identity theft. If Gov. Sonny Perdue, R, signs it as expected, the new law will take effect Aug. 1.  Under its provisions, Georgians will be able to place a security freeze on their credit reports, barring credit-reporting agencies from releasing their personal financial information to banks, stores or other businesses without their consent. The consumer can use a personal identification number, or PIN, to temporarily lift the freeze when applying for a new credit card. Without the secret PIN, an identity thief would not be able to open a fraudulent account in the consumer’s name. Each of the three credit agencies can charge a $3 fee to place or lift a freeze, but Georgians age 65 and older are exempt. AARP Georgia pushed for this law for three years. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/ga.

December 2007

Make saving easy – Best-selling author and financial expert Jean Chatzky has joined AARP Georgia in a campaign urging employers to automatically enroll workers in 401(k) plans to bolster their long-term financial security.Traditionally, workers have had to sign up to start participating in employer-sponsored 401(k) plans. With auto-enrollment, employees are assumed to be participants unless they opt out. About half of all U.S. workers are not enrolled in a 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. AARP Georgia is one of 12 state offices involved in an auto-enrollment campaign launched in November by AARP, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the Retirement Security Project. To learn more, visit http://www.retirementmadesimpler.org.