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 >

Michael Gutter, Ph.D.

Greetings from the AFCPE President’s Office!  After a harsh winter for many of you, we are happy to say that spring has sprung. AFCPE has been hard at work this winter with much to show for it! Our team of AFCPE staff, Board and the Symposium Task Force are working... Read More >

Desiree Kaul

If you suddenly had to take over your parents’ finances, would you be prepared? Although many of us don’t want to think about a time when we will be the caregiver for our parents, it is better to find out the information you will need before a crisis happens. Here... Read More >

Rebecca Wiggins

Greetings from the AFCPE National Office! The 2014 Annual Research and Training Symposium in beautiful Bellevue, Washington was packed with terrific sessions, cuttingedge research, new resources and a lot of networking! Each year, the Symposium provides an opportunity to celebrate the organization’s growth. This year was especially exciting with a... Read More >

Chris Waclawik

Individuals who have a debt cancelled or forgiven can find themselves in for an unpleasant surprise when tax season arrives. Generally, a debt that has been cancelled or forgiven by a lender must be included as income on that year’s tax return just as if the money had been earned... Read More >

Attiyya S. Ingram

For the majority of clients who meet certain income criteria, a Roth IRA has been their preferred way to save for retirement. Unlike a traditional IRA or 401(k), the Roth IRA allows for the growth of compound interest that will never be taxed. It is this feature, the growth of... Read More >

Jean Chatzky, Barbara O’Neill

The Difference: How Anyone Can Prosper in Even the Toughest Times is not the first book to describe research-based characteristics of the wealthy. Dozens of books about millionaires have been written during the last two decades starting with The Millionaire Next Door in 1996. What sets this book apart is the... Read More >