Understanding Economic Abuse & Conducting Safe Financial Assessments

This foundational webinar introduces financial planners to coercive control and economic abuse and examines how abuse can shape a survivor’s financial circumstances, choices, and ability to carry out financial recommendations. Participants will explore common forms of economic abuse, including employment interference, education sabotage, restricted access to income, hidden assets, credit destruction, identity theft, and coerced debt.

The session will also focus on how to gather financial information without creating additional trauma or increasing risk. Participants will learn how to ask questions in ways that center the survivor’s safety, goals, values, and autonomy; recognize when standard documentation or communication practices may increase danger; and identify when referral or coordination with domestic violence advocates, legal services, credit specialists, or other community resources is needed.

Learning Objectives

1. Recognize common forms of economic abuse and explain how they can affect a survivor’s safety, financial stability, and decision-making.
2. Identify ways that traditional financial assessment practices may create risk, reinforce power imbalances, or unintentionally retraumatize survivors.
3. Apply trauma-informed, survivor-centered strategies when asking questions, collecting financial information, and clarifying a client’s goals and priorities.
4. Increase financial planners’ confidence in supporting survivors of domestic violence with financial planning
5. Recognize situations that require referral to or coordination with domestic violence advocates, attorneys, credit counselors, or other specialized resources.