The Standard Newsletter
Andi Wrenn, AFCPE® Board President
In this article, let's shift our focus away from the past and dive headfirst into the exciting developments taking place at AFCPE. The year has been brimming with positive changes, and it's essential to encourage your participation in these exciting endeavors. AFCPE has embarked on a journey towards growth, implementing... Read More >
Meghan McInnes, AFC®, FFC®, FBS®
The AFCPE® Research & Training Symposium is my favorite annual holiday that isn’t a real holiday. I’ll explain. On Thanksgiving, for example, one may go to a relative’s house to celebrate over delicious food, visit with family members they don’t see daily, get family member activity updates and share what’s... Read More >
Tess M. Jackson, AFC ® Candidate
The Black Girl's Guide to Financial Freedom by Dr. Paris Woods is a rare read offering financial strategies specifically for African-American women. A first-generation Harvard graduate, Woods had a humble familial financial background. She, like most readers, learned financial lessons through trial and error. As a result, this book is... Read More >
April Berggren-Batts
Do you remember your first memories connected to banking? When I was a child, the bank meant I would get a lollipop. This was a huge deal because my family did not keep candy in our house. Candy was a luxury not commonly in the budget. While I was observing... Read More >
Axton Betz-Hamilton
Seventy-five percent of all homes in the United States will be burglarized within a 20-year span (Biermeier, 2023). In 2021, property valued at $737,294,919,165 was stolen in residential burglary cases, with miscellaneous items being the most common items stolen. These sobering statistics indicate a critical need to help clients reduce... Read More >
Jennifer Pohlsander, AFC Candidate
In 2020, amid COVID I started working on my AFC certification. It seemed nearly impossible to find opportunities for experience hours (use a different word than amid again) amid the restrictions. In addition to that obstacle, my family moved halfway across the country where I would have to make new... Read More >
Research to Practice Task Force
Interlocking Challenges: Insights from the CFPB Report on Emergency Savings and Financial Security Nearly one in four American consumers do not have any savings. What insights and strategies can financial counselors gain from the March 2022 report on emergency savings by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)? The report, Emergency savings... Read More >
Upholding the highest standards. Thank you to everyone who completed the job analysis survey. Job analysis is a critical component of maintaining NCCA accreditation for the AFC® certification and a cornerstone of our certification program. The survey results inform the AFC exam, ensuring that the AFC core competencies remain relevant... Read More >
Andi Wrenn, AFCPE® Board President
There is a lot going on with AFCPE® as an organization. There are a few things I want to share with you this quarter. This spring there was an opportunity for all staff, board members, and AFCPE® members to share their input on where AFCPE® is and where we should... Read More >
Jennifer Witkowski
Quick Summary This data analysis looked at the ways families spent their tax returns and the effects it had on their spending habits. The majority of families receive a refund equivalent to six and a half weeks of pay. Spending habits for families who received a refund increase sharply, and... Read More >
Dr. Barbara O’Neill, CFP®, AFC®
Happy Money, Happy Life was written by a New Jersey financial education colleague, Jason Vitug, whom I have known for years. Full disclosure: I was one of dozens of people interviewed by Jason for insights and quotes. The book is tightly organized into three sections (called Books) and its main... Read More >
Andrea Lin
Student Money Management Centers in Postsecondary Education The University of Missouri is one of a small percentage of postsecondary institutions across the U.S. that has a Student Money Management Center. Each semester, the Office for Financial Success facilitates monthly financial literacy workshops. We also serve as guest presenters to a... Read More >