Blog

Families with college aspirations for their kids are erroneously relying on the dream of sports scholarships instead of the challenging work of savings. The practice of saving is very tough.  A study by the Pew Charitable Trust reveals a third of all adults are not saving at all!  It is no surprise...

December 15, 2015

Most parents desire their teenagers to be a wealth of financial savvy - saving crazily and spending wisely. However, the reality is that at this point in their lives, our teenagers may not hold the same affinity to become financially stable adults.My teenager is a case in point. He is...

December 08, 2015

As a Financial Counselor, if you have never gone through the process of grief yourself, then you may find it difficult to know what to say to, or how to work with, a client who is currently grieving. The first step is to understand some of what your client is...

December 04, 2015

One important factor in planning a financial strategy, and a step so often overlooked, is taking a look at the emotions behind the purchase. Emotions are closely linked to financial habits. If you spend time thinking about the philosophy behind your purchases, you will likely find yourself in a better...

December 02, 2015

Money affects all areas of an individual’s life. Issues with money are still a leading factor in divorce. The following tips are essential to every marriage and every budget: If you're not working together, you're working against each other. Creditcards.com conducted an eye opening poll that revealed, "One in 5...

November 23, 2015

Whether working with clients or simply your own family’s budget, one of the first things you need to look at are values. Each person has a set of values. Dictionary.com defines values as: “relative worth, merit, or importance”. Personality, culture, and life experience all affect the creation of our personal and family...

November 04, 2015

"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." -Benjamin Franklin What is it about that quote that makes planners smile and, well, the rest of us cringe. I am not a person who considers myself a planner... I like to call it 'going with the flow.' However, I have...

November 02, 2015

If you had to pick just one counseling question as the most important question you ask someone you’re trying to help – the granddaddy of them all, the big kahuna, the…number…one  – what would it be?  “How do you see your life playing out if you keep doing things the...

October 29, 2015

From the early years and beyond children should be taught these two truisms: Money does not grow on trees AND You don’t earn money just for breathing! Making money requires work. Keep in mind that you will likely repeat these words regularly (I know I do). The envelope system While...

October 19, 2015

Each November financial professionals from all over the country come together for a professional development opportunity that is unlike any other in our field. With attendees representing financial education, research and practice, the AFCPE Symposium brings together these uniquely distinct areas of our field to unite them in our common...

September 30, 2015

Susan Schroeder, AFC® strongly believes that financial empowerment interventions enable people to move forward and achieve financial well-being. For 10 years, she has focused her passion on increasing the financial capability, access, and inclusion for low to middle income individuals and families. Susan joined AFCPE® membership in 2014 and in just a...

September 29, 2015

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, recently issued it's Monthly Complaint Report for August 2015. The CFPB is the first federal agency that is totally focused on consumer financial protection. Consumer complaints are an integral and increasingly significant part of that work. Over the past 4 years, the agency has...

September 22, 2015