Blog

Recently in a personal finance class, some of the students asked me how much they should be spending in the different budget categories, such as housing, groceries, and so on. I’ve always seen these categories as somewhat flexible, with the amount you spend on one thing versus another being entirely...

July 08, 2015

As financial counselors, coaches and educators, it is important to recognize and understand various systems of saving and investing that culturally diverse populations and the underbanked might use.  The use of money pools might not be the first choice that a financial professional might recommend to a client, but if...

July 02, 2015

Be prepared. When most people hear these two words, they think of the Boy Scouts of America. I want to share with you why all military spouses need to be prepared as well. I was a military spouse for three months shy of 20 years when my 1SG (First Sergeant)...

June 15, 2015

Part 3: MONEY, DEBT, AND THE LAW 101 Read Part 1: A Snapshot View of Consumer Debt Read Part 2: Can They Take My Money? Anyone can be sued by a debt collector. Debt collectors don’t only sue deadbeats. They are paid to follow the money. Sometimes they get it right, and...

June 11, 2015

Part 2: MONEY, DEBT, AND THE LAW 101Read Part 1: A Snapshot View of Consumer DebtLast week we looked at some of the factors that are driving the growth in the debt collection industry and the aggressive nature of that industry, particularly in respect to third-party debt-buyers and consumer debt. Consumer...

June 04, 2015

AFCPE® is proud to partner with the Better Business’ Bureau Institute, Moneythink, IDEO.org and CauseLabs to launch a financial capability tool designed specifically for transitioning servicemembers, veterans and their families to help them navigate their finances during the transition from active duty to civilian life. MobileMis$$ion, an innovative and FREE app,...

June 03, 2015

Part 1: MONEY, DEBT, AND THE LAW 101According to the Federal Reserve, credit card debt reached $884.8 billion this month, and student loan debt topped out at $1.8 trillion. The average household carries $15,609 in credit card debt, while the average student loan debt is $32,956. At the same time that...

May 28, 2015

In honor of 2015 Military Spouse Appreciation Day, AFCPE is proud to honor the incredible work of the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellows. Since the program's inception in 2006, military spouses have provided hundreds of thousands of hours of financial counseling and education to our military service members, military families and veterans....

May 08, 2015

Sometimes we just need to get back to the basics. What is your definition of a need? How do you define a want? A popular movement in America is the minimalist approach. By their lifestyle and desire to be free from debt, many are getting rid of all but the...

May 06, 2015

Taking Part in the Greater Solution As we say goodbye to April and Financial Literacy month, we reflect on numerous wonderful events that many of you probably participated in to promote this topic so dear to us. These events have all grown out of one special event, Financial Literacy Day...

May 04, 2015

Supporting the implementation and dissemination of the student driven savings app, SaveIt! Each year AFCPE® awards the Mary O’Neill mini-grant of $2,500 toward the implementation of an innovative, high-impact financial education project. In 2014, the grant was awarded to Clinton Gudmunson, an assistant professor in the department of Human Development and Family Studies...

April 15, 2015

AFCPE: Building the Bridge from Research to Practice The goal of the Financial Literacy effort is to provide consumers with the knowledge and skills they need to make good financial decisions on their own. Individually, as financial researchers, educators and practitioners, you are regularly focused on the financial literacy effort. Working collectively,...

April 01, 2015