GETTYSBURG- Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that Treasury’s Outreach Team will be at the Adams County Farmers Market on May 25, to talk with shoppers about Treasury’s PA 529 College and Career Savings Program, Keystone Scholars, and PA ABLE Savings Program – and to help people search for unclaimed property. Treasury’s experts will be available from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.
“The Adams County Farmers Market is an incredible community resource,” Treasurer Garrity said. “We’re thrilled to be there because it’s the perfect place to hear from people about what matters to them, and to talk to them about how Treasury’s great consumer programs can help them save for the future. And of course, everyone likes to find out they have money available from unclaimed property! It only takes a few minutes to check, so be sure to ask our outreach team if we have any money that belongs to you or your family members.”
“We appreciate this convenient opportunity for Adams County residents to check their unclaimed property status,” said Adams County Commissioner Chair Randy Phiel.
“I’m impressed by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department bringing staff to the local farmers market on May 25,” said Commissioner Jim Martin. “They will be assisting residents during the market to search Treasury records for unclaimed property. This free service may hold a surprise for you as it did for me two years ago.”
“The Adams County Farmers Market is a great place to reach a wide variety of people,” said Reza Djalal, Market Manager. “We want our shoppers to know about the services the Pennsylvania Treasury offers, so we’re excited about this partnership. We’re glad to help get unclaimed funds back into the pockets of Adams County residents.”
Treasury is working to return more than $4.5 billion worth of unclaimed property, owed to more than one in ten Pennsylvanians. The average value of a claim is $1,600. Unclaimed property includes things like dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance policies, contents of forgotten safe deposit boxes and more. State law requires businesses to report unclaimed property to Treasury after three years of dormancy.
The PA 529 College and Career Savings Program has been helping families save and pay for education for more than 30 years. Saving with PA 529 accounts comes with significant state and federal tax advantages. PA 529 accounts can be used for a wide variety of qualifying technical, collegiate, and apprenticeship expenses like tuition, fees, books, equipment, room and board, and more. Saving with PA 529 does not impact a student’s eligibility for Pennsylvania state financial aid.
There are two PA 529 plans to choose from, the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) and the Morningstar Gold-Rated PA 529 Investment Plan (IP). The PA 529 GSP allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to meet tomorrow’s tuition costs, with earnings based on college tuition inflation rates. The PA 529 IP, ranked as one of the top two plans in the country, has a variety of investment options to choose from, and earnings are based on financial market performance.
Keystone Scholars jumpstarts education savings for families with children born January 1, 2019, or later with an automatic $100 starter deposit. The program uses no taxpayer dollars. Families are encouraged to register their child’s Keystone Scholars account online and to open their own companion PA 529 account to continue saving.
For disability savings, the PA ABLE Savings Program empowers Pennsylvanians with disabilities and their families to save for a secure future. Saving with PA ABLE is a tax-free way to save and pay for disability-related expenses without the risk of losing important benefits like Supplemental Security Income and Medical Assistance.
PA ABLE account owners can choose from seven investment options and contribute up to $18,000 annually to their account. PA ABLE accounts can be used to pay for day-to-day expenses like groceries and rent as well as long-term expenses like assistive technology, adaptive vehicles and more.
The Adams County Farmers Market is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization committed to increasing healthy food access and strengthening the bond between agriculture and the community. The market is open 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturdays until October at Gettysburg Rec Park.
To learn more about all of Treasury’s consumer programs, visit patreasury.gov/consumer.
