Congratulations! Here’s what happens next:

• Register and attend – All presenters must register for and attend the 2026 AFCPE Symposium
• Save 25% – Accepted presenters receive a 25% registration discount (up to three discounted registrations per submission)
• Apply for scholarships – Need financial support? Scholarship applications open June 15-July 15
• Earn credits – Get CEUs or Experience Hours for your presentation. See the Experience Guide and CEU Guide for details

Symposium submission topics should be relevant to personal finance, financial education, and/or financial counseling. Topic areas can include, but are not limited to:

• Communication and counseling skills, including psychology of money, behavioral finance, teaching delivery, etc.
• Working with economically vulnerable populations, including the unbanked, seniors, and those transitioning out of prison.
• Regulatory changes, including tax changes, student loans updates, etc. 
• Current events, including cryptocurrency, fintech, inflation, etc.
• Advanced topics, including estate planning, alternative financial services, frauds/scams, etc.

Sure! Here is some guidance to consider for your Putting It into Practice proposal:

Submit a maximum 2-page, double-spaced proposal (4,000 characters including spaces) with:

• Introduction and session goal/purpose
• Intended audience and expertise level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced)
• Planned presentation style (lecture, panel, workshop, etc.)
• Overview of content to be presented

Tips for Success

• Ensure your presentation fits within 50 minutes, including Q&A
• Review the evaluation rubrics before submitting
• Proofread carefully and have a colleague review for clarity and flow

See example: Putting It into Practice

Absolutely! Here is guidance for putting together your Research to Practice proposal:

Submit a maximum 2-page, double-spaced proposal (4,000 characters including spaces) with:

• Introduction and session goal/purpose
• Intended audience and expertise level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced)
• Planned presentation style (lecture, panel, workshop, etc.)
• Overview of content and how research informs practice (or vice versa)

Tips for Success

• Ensure your presentation fits within 50 minutes, including Q&A
• Review the evaluation rubrics before submitting
• Proofread carefully and have a colleague review for clarity and flow

See example: Research to Practice

No problem! Here’s some suggestions for crafting your Research Paper proposal:

Submit up to 25 double-spaced pages in 12-point Times New Roman font, excluding citations (48,000 characters including spaces). Include:

• Title and background
• Purpose and conceptual framework or theory
• Hypotheses or research questions
• Methodology (data source, sample, variables, analysis)
• Results, discussion, and implications for financial counseling and planning
• Charts and images (combined into a single file for upload)

See example: Research Paper

Gladly! Here is guidance on putting together your Student Research Paper proposal:

Submit up to 25 double-spaced pages in 12-point Times New Roman font, excluding citations (48,000 characters including spaces). Include:

• Title and background
• Purpose and conceptual framework or theory
• Hypotheses or research questions
• Methodology (data source, sample, variables, analysis)
• Results, discussion, and implications for financial counseling and planning
• Charts and images (combined into a single file for upload)

See example: Student Research Paper

You can only be selected for one delivery method: 

50-Minute Presentation – In-person breakout session at the Symposium in D.C. Metro.

Poster – Display a poster at the Symposium and interact with attendees during a dedicated poster session. Submit a one-page PDF by October 31, 2026. Optionally, upload a 5-minute pre-recorded presentation to supplement your poster on the virtual platform. Additional details provided upon acceptance.

On-Demand (limited availability) – Pre-record a 50-minute session with asynchronous Q&A via the virtual platform chat. On-demand presenters must still register and attend the 2026 Symposium (in-person or virtual).

Here are takeaways pertaining to creating titles, descriptions, and learning objectives:

Title – Keep it short and use plain language. This is how your session will appear in the program.

Description (2-3 sentences) – Clearly explain what your session covers in an engaging way. Feel free to include humor, statistics, or questions to draw attendees in.

Learning Objectives (2-3 per session) – These appear in the program and are used for continuing education credit. Answer: What will attendees take away from this session?

Format each as: “Attendees will: ____________”
Example: “Attendees will be educated on updates to the credit industry.”

All submissions are reviewed anonymously by five reviewers—do not include any identifying information (names, organizations, universities, etc.). Click or tap on the Scoring Rubric and Topics List for additional context. The topics listed below are suggestions, not an exhaustive list.

We hope these Submission Checklist steps help:

• Choose your Session Type
• Choose Delivery Method
• Create:
  • Title
  • Description
  • Learning objectives
• Write session proposal or abstract
• Gather submission information
• Create your Submission Profile (Opens 3/16)  
• Enter required information
• Submit by Friday, May 8th. 

Accepted presenters will be notified in early August.

Breakout speakers will be confirmed in early August.

*If submission is accepted, delivery method may not be accommodated based on schedule and space availability. An alternate delivery method may be offered.

Sure! Right click on your screen and click the print option. Select “print to PDF” and save to your computer. 

Email: events@afcpe.org