ING Direct USA's ShareBuilder Unveils the Gift of Stock for Holiday Wish Lists

WILMINGTON, Del., Dec. 6, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Remember that furry, ticklish toy, the latest electronic gadget or some other "must-have" gift you bought for a family member or friend last holiday?  Is it collecting dust in the closet today?  This year, give a gift that can keep on giving.  ING DIRECT USA's ShareBuilder today unveiled the Gift of Stock kit for holiday shoppers who want to make a meaningful investment in the future of someone special.  

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"At ShareBuilder, we believe that investing, unlike most holiday gifts, will never go out of style.  This holiday season give friends and family a financial head start that will last a lifetime.  The Gift of Stock is an easy, affordable way to teach a child, young adult or close friend about money and show your commitment to their financial future," said Dan Greenshields, President of ShareBuilder.    

Adults are continually struggling with how to have the "money conversation" with children.  Last year, an ING DIRECT survey revealed that 39 percent of parents are more prepared to talk to their children about drugs and alcohol than money and finances.  Nearly three in ten (27 percent) parents are more prepared to talk to their children about the birds and the bees or dating than money.  

The Gift of Stock is a simple way to make the money talk easier while educating someone about investing.  To teach children the value of investing and empower Americans to invest in their future, the Gift of Stock kit includes:

• $50 ShareBuilder Gift Card. Help friends and family start their own stock portfolio at ShareBuilder or become an investor yourself.  The gift card is redeemable when opening a new ShareBuilder Individual, Joint or Custodial account, giving you or the gift recipient the chance to start off with $50 in their account.  ShareBuilder has no account minimums.    

• Five Free Automatic Investment Plan Credits.  Free trade credits allow you, friends or family to start building wealth.  ShareBuilder's Automatic Investment Plan allows investors to set up recurring investments with a dollar amount they can afford.  

• Five-part video series from The Motley Fool.  Picking stocks can be easier than you think.  The Motley Fool's How to Buy the Right Stocks for Your Portfolio video series can help you develop the right financial portfolio for your financial goals.

The Gift of Stock kit is available for purchase at ING DIRECT's online Shop and in ING DIRECT's seven Cafes across the country.  Orders placed online by December 12, 2010 will arrive before December 25.  All online orders using ground shipping will be sent for free.  The Gift of Stock, valued at $125, is selling for $45.

Investing in a Child's Future

Here are four ways – from ING DIRECT's We, the Savers blog – that the Gift of Stock can start a child on a path to financial security:

1. Let the kids help decide where to invest. Research different companies and, with your guidance, they can select the companies and brands they already know and love. Each month, quarter and year, you can track their stock performances together.

2. Keep it fun and make it personal. Many online investment accounts let you give your account a nickname. Set up a Custodial Account and give it a name like "John-John's Fun Fund," or "PJ's Big Adventure." Create a mock stock certificate that you can print out for free and present to the child.

3. Matching funds for long-term goals – it's a family affair. Maybe your child really wants to buy a new car when he grows up. It's going to take some time to save up that kind of money. Give them a fun and creative incentive to reach their goals. For example, every time money goes into the Custodial Account, match the investment up to a certain amount.

4. Make the money conversation permanent. The Gift of Stock is a money conversation starter. But the conversation needs to keep going. Get into the habit of talking to your kids about money. When they're on the computer, pull up a chair and together walk through how to check their investment account holdings.

The national online survey was conducted within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of ING DIRECT USA between April 6-8, 2009 among 2,123 adults age 18+, 535 of whom were parents of a child under 18 years old. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available.

About ING DIRECT USA

ING DIRECT USA, the nation's largest direct bank and largest thrift, is dedicated to inspiring Americans to become a nation of savers. Since its inception in 2000, more than 7.7 million Americans have entrusted their savings with ING DIRECT, building the bank to $88 billion in assets.  ING DIRECT has developed a comprehensive social media Savers Community, including Twitter, Facebook and it's We, The Savers blog.  For more information about ING DIRECT call 1-800-ING-DIRECT, and for information about its commitment to financial education visit Planet Orange.  Style note to Editors: ING DIRECT is always capitalized and never referred to as ING.

ShareBuilder Securities Corporation is an online brokerage designed for automatic, long-term investing.  The company's vision is to increase the personal investing rate of the average American by helping individuals build and manage wealth over the long term.  Customers pay low commissions on individual transactions, have no account minimum and can choose from two pricing programs.  ShareBuilder offers investment products including stocks, exchange-traded funds, and mutual funds. ShareBuilder Securities Corporation, a subsidiary of ING Bank, fsb, is a registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC.  For more information about ShareBuilder, please visit Twitter and Facebook.  

Securities products are: Not FDIC insured • Not Bank guaranteed • May lose value

SOURCE ING DIRECT USA