About CentiQ
People are increasingly becoming more responsible for arranging
their own financial matters. Not only that, more people are
encountering situations in their lives with far-reaching financial
consequences, such as divorce, loss of employment, illness or
serious injury.
Without sufficient financial know-how or the right assistance
(tools) and advice, it can often prove difficult to acquire the
proper financial products or make the correct choices. For
instance, to protect against certain risks, arrange provisions for
the future, choose the right mortgage or make a considered decision
between savings and loan products, or investment and savings
options.
Financial self-sufficiency is, to an increasing extent, becoming
a basic precondition for independent functioning within an ever
more complex society. The consumer is responsible for ensuring that
his financial matters are in order, both now and in the future.
There are others whose responsibility it is to help the consumer
make the best choices possible.
In late 2006, this was one reason for the Ministry of Finance to
initiate platform CentiQ, Wijzer in Geldzaken (the Money-Wise
Guide). In this platform, some forty partners from the financial
sector, government, public information and consumer organisations,
and the field of science have joined forces to strengthen the
consumer's position in the financial domain. Each contributes to
the effort from its own role and responsibilities.
Working toward financial self-sufficiency for consumers is a
matter requiring long-term, consistent effort. In the next five
years, the platform hopes to operate as a guide for money
matters.
With the CentiQ Action Plan, the
partners seek to add an extra impulse to strengthening the
consumer's position. The partners will implement projects, realise
goals, and establish activities within their own organisations.
This is all to help consumers become and remain more money-wise,
not just now but also in the future.
