The Standard Newsletter
Al Bingham
Bankruptcy impacts a credit score more than any other singular event in a credit report. While the bankruptcy itself is a key factor adversely affecting credit scores, other sub-components also play roles in determining a credit score. An estimated 35 percent of a FICO® credit score is Payment History, which is... Read More >
Michael Gutter
Now that the school year has ended, summer is upon us, and vacations begin, it is a wonderful time to stop and reflect. I know we all have had a busy few months, and I hope you are taking a moment to appreciate all that has been accomplished. I can... Read More >
Ron Lundquist
As financial professionals, it is of course incumbent upon us to provide advice to clients that will improve their financial situation. That advice might be to pay more than the minimum monthly payment on credit cards, or to make sure that income tax exemptions properly reflect reality, so a client does not... Read More >
Rebecca Wiggins
Greetings from the AFCPE National Office! It is so hard to believe that Spring has sprung after another long and brutal winter. Luckily we have kept very busy with lots of wonderful initiatives that we are excited to share with you. The AFCPE staff, Board and Symposium Task Force are... Read More >
Jill Anne Ladouceur
AFCPE has partnered with Sage Financial Solutions, a nationally recognized provider of financial capability programming to provide a comprehensive professional development series for financial professionals. There are still two segments remaining of the 6-part webinar series which began in January. The series covers the principles, philosophies and concepts of financial... Read More >
Jill Anne Ladouceur
State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has long been providing financial counseling and education to help members succeed— it’s a natural extension of the cooperative’s consumer-friendly products and services. SECU also believes that employee education keeps an organization prepared to advise members in an everchanging financial world. Reinforcing that belief, SECU... Read More >
Barbara O’Neill, Michael L. Walden and M.E. Whitman Walden
Financial Fiasco: A Dia Fenner Economic Thriller is not the first book to teach economic and personal finance principles through a story featuring fictional characters. The Wealthy Barber and The Richest Man in Babylon also come to mind. However, this 155-page novella is extremely well-written and held my interest from beginning... Read More >
Susan Bross
You get a phone call out of the blue. Someone you care about tells you that he or she is struggling. The story seems so desperate and painful. You want to help, so you end up sending money, whether they’ve actually asked for it or not. A week, a month,... Read More >
Jennifer Lear
Planning for what is unforeseeable is challenging, but planning for what can be foreseen, death and taxes, can save money and time for family members. Sound financial counseling includes encouraging clients to contemplate an estate plan to ease the burden on their family members after their death. Clients may not... Read More >
Gayle Rose Martinez
Editor’s Note: If you have a success story that you would like to share, please email Jill Ladouceur at ladjill@me.com Maine is primarily a rural state. USDA Rural Development home loans consider all of Maine rural except for Bangor and Portland. There is a high percentage of military personnel in... Read More >
Lisa Philios, AFC®
Let’s face it, identity theft is here to stay. Sony, Target and JP MorganChase Bank, to name a few, all had data compromised, as highlighted in Newsweek’s 2014 The Year in Cyber Attacks (www.newsweek.com/2014year-cyber-attacks-295876). Cyber attacks against large corporations validate one thing: thieves and hackers are not backing down. This... Read More >
Barbara O’Neill
The term “digital assets” refers to personal information that is stored electronically on either a computer or an online “cloud” server account. Anyone who uses e-mail on a computer, has a password protected cell phone, uses social media, makes online purchases, or pays bills or does banking online has digital... Read More >