Blog

Many Americans are not financially prepared because they have not been provided all of the tools needed for success.  My “why” is so simple and yet complex. As the granddaughter of an immigrant, I am thankful that my grandfather took interest in learning the ins and outs of the American...

April 06, 2017

I believe that anyone, regardless of where they are today, can achieve financial security and peace of mind...and even wealth. And I'm on a mission to prove it. https://youtu.be/82rba13qZgA I became an Accredited Financial Counselor® because I want to help as many people as I can create, grow and keep more...

April 05, 2017

As a single parent who left a marriage and an abusive situation, I was struggling financially all the time. I had to file bankruptcy and even count clicks on a clock to get paid. But through it all, I refused to accept public assistance. I made the necessary sacrifices and kept...

April 04, 2017

We all love stories. They inspire. They motivate. They connect. In honor of National Financial Literacy Month, we asked AFCPE professionals to share their stories. To tell us their "Why" - what inspired them to become financial educators, counselors or coaches. Each story is unique, but they all have something in common -...

April 03, 2017

America Saves and Military Saves Week is an annual promotion for good saving behavior. Organized by America Saves and American Savings Education Council, every year, thousands of organizations participate and millions of people are reached through this important initiative. America Saves motivates and supports both low and middle-income households to increase their savings...

February 27, 2017

In an ideal world, everyone could afford to pay cash for all items. Until that day arrives, establishing and maintaining good credit is important, because often we need credit to purchase high-priced items such as houses, cars and furniture. Maybe you had some tough times in the past and now...

February 08, 2017

Saving for retirement has always been a challenge, but it's harder than ever for many Americans today. One in three people have no retirement savings at all, and more than half of all adults have saved $10,000 or less. When it comes to millennials, however, the news is more mixed. According...

January 27, 2017

Does a penny really amount to much in today’s American society? While stationed overseas, my family learned to live without pennies because they were not accepted at the facilities on base. They would round everything to the nearest $.05. Combining that with digital and electronic methods of keeping track of...

January 18, 2017

The National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®) is a proud partner of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®). NEFE has supported the annual AFCPE Symposium for many years as an exhibitor and strives to provide quality, research-backed resources for financial counselors and educators. Part of the power of this...

January 11, 2017

When you teach financial concepts, how do you help your clients or audience understand the concept? While it’s simple to teach that 2 + 2 = 4, it can be harder to help people comprehend the time value of money, opportunity cost, or longevity as it relates to retirement planning....

December 19, 2016

Dear AFCPE Members, Professionals, Partners and Change Agents, As we come off of an inspiring week of new research, new ideas and new connections that only the AFCPE® Symposium can provide, I find myself reflecting on the incredible strides our organization and community has made over the last few years. We have...

November 28, 2016

Being stationed overseas provides exposure to a different financial attitude. We are stationed in Germany where, even today, one of the corps’ values is “to save.” An old German saying “Nur Bares ist Wahres” --- only cash is true --- underlines another German virtue – paying with cash. Even though...

November 09, 2016