STI 2018 Annual Report

Financial Confidence Starts Here Lighting the Way to Financial Well-Being is not a slogan. It’s what we do, and the reason we exist. A key aspect of financial confidence is being in control of one’s finances—knowing what’s coming in and what’s going out. Lighting the Way to Financial Well-Being means helping our clients, businesses, and communities understand their options, recognize opportunities, and find relevant ways to pursue a stronger, more confident financial future. Our orientation as a purpose-driven company is the foundation of our culture. It drives how we go to market, how we interact with each other, and what products and advice we offer our clients. Our culture is exemplified in our ability to work together as One Team, agnostic to products and lines of business, with the ultimate goal of providing clients with the solutions that meets their needs—not ours. Today, our history continues to be written in thousands of stories of how our teammates are making a difference in our clients’ lives—helping them move from financial stress to financial confidence. Data according to 2018 Q2 SunTrust National Financial Confidence Poll. The SunTrust National Financial Confidence Poll is an online survey conducted quarterly with a 2,500 random sample representative of the U.S. adult population. Taking the first step The greatest movements start with a single step—a step towards change, a new approach, and ultimately a better life. Our goal is to inspire others to take their first step towards financial confidence. Our research shows that Americans with high financial confidence rate higher on happiness and report less stress than those with very low financial confidence. That means they’re living life more fully— spending time with friends, family, and planning for the future. By following five core behaviors—using a budget, managing debt, saving regularly, maximizing income, and planning for retirement—anyone can achieve financial confidence, regardless of income, education, or economic status. Vai Jalajam Ready for the Unexpected Getting sick is never fun, but “when you’re paying for medications and copays out of pocket, it’s even more stressful,” said Vai Jalajam, SunTrust teammate. It seemed that every year an illness would inevitably drain a few hundred dollars from her family’s savings. “Afterwards, I’d be so frustrated,” she revealed. “That’s money not going toward retirement or school expenses.” To help, Vai signed up for a health savings account, depositing $100 into it each pay period. That plan paid off after her entire family got hit with the flu simultaneously. After calculating expenses, it cost them nearly $700. While the sickness was stressful enough, Vai was grateful she didn’t have to add a financial setback into the mix. “SunTrust helped me prepare for the unexpected,” said Vai. “I was able to rest easy, knowing our medical expenses were covered.” of Americans score high on financial confidence 23% of those with high financial confidence are never or rarely stressed about money or finances 67% of those with very low financial confidence often or always feel stressed about money or finances 71% Purpose Page 16