Guidelines for Participating in Employer Contribution Savings Programs

What guidelines are accepted for how to save/invest in company-contribution savings programs such as 401Ks when the person changes jobs every 2-5 years? Are strategies different than when you expect to invest in the same 401K (or similar vehicle) over 10-15 years? What do you need to know in terms...

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How vs. What

When was the last time you focused on the "how" instead of the "what" of your practice? As financial educators and counselors, we often find our practice revolves around providing answers and information to those we serve. After all, bad advice or inaccurate information could mean financial ruin for someone....

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New Year’s Resolution

How many of you have made progress on those New Year's resolutions? And more importantly, how many of your clients or program participants have? What are people doing that results in their making progress toward a resolution or goal? How is that different than what those not making progress are...

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Effects of Unemployed Teens

Unemployment for Americans aged 16 to 19 is at an all time high – 27%. It’s a segment of our workforce that has been hard hit by the recession, yet largely overlooked. Though unemployment among adults is a pressing matter, the long term affects of unemployment among our youth is...

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Free Income Tax Assistance Tool

Please be aware of a new tool that helps clients find free income tax assistance anywhere in the nation: http://extension.missouri.edu/hes/taxed/vitasites.htm The search tool allows you to narrow your search to a state and the counties and cities within that state. Andrew Zumwalt, M.S. Director of the MoTax Education Initiative University...

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Reaching Out to New Audiences

The importance of financial education cannot be overstated, especially in preparation for life changing events such as marriage. The research shows that conflicts regarding finances is still the leading factor to divorce. What ideas and proven techniques can you share to help reach pre-marital clients so that they are armed...

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Book Reviews

Please share your favorite book suggestions: 1. children's books that help teach an important life lesson or 2. adult self help books to recommend to clients. Brenda Vaughn Director of Financial Literacy September 09, 2009

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What has Triggered a Change in Your Financial Behavior?

Think about what has triggered a change in your financial behavior or for someone else. Let's see if we can find some themes. Who knows what we might come up with. Glenn Muske 2009 AFCPE President September 02, 2009

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Phased Retirement

How do we keep employees that are retirement age not so retired and in the workforce? What are other companies doing regarding phased retirement? Kathy Krogmeier August 10, 2009

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AFC feedback

What do other AFC's think about using Non-profit debt solutions organizations like Incharge.org or Americanconsumercredit.org in practice? DAVID F. SULLINS Community Readiness Consultant Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC) August 10, 2009

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FICO Score

Our FICO score is used in about everything in our life. From what we pay in interest on loans, car insurance, getting an apartment or even a job and more. Have we become a society that is too dependent on the FICO score? Have we become lazy? How about the...

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The Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Program

I wanted to share some information with AFCPE members about the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan that might be useful to members and their clients who are repaying federal student loans. The Income-Based Repayment (IBR) program was part of the 2007 College Cost Reduction and Access Act and the program goes...

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