Resources
Certification Programs
Considerable expertise is required to effectively deliver financial literacy education programs to adult learners in workplace settings. A high degree of content understanding is necessary and some of that may be obtained from various recommended Financial Planner Professional Certifications.
Three certification programs that are offered by non-profit organizations are recommended to help fill in the gaps in knowledge about personal finance and lifecycle topics especially appropriate when educating adults (including overcoming indebtedness), as well as how to communicate effectively so that learners are able to make changes in their lives that result in decreases in financial distress and increases in personal financial wellbeing:
1. Certified Financial Educator™ (CFEd™) Heartland Institute of Financial Education
See http://heartlandfinancialeducation.com/index.asp
A Certified Financial Educator™ has expertise in two focus areas
Financial Planning Focus
- Goal Planning
- Cash Flow Planning
- Risk Management Planning
- Debt Management
- Investment Planning
- Retirement Planning
- Income Tax Planning
- Estate Planning
Adult Learning Focus
- Financial Literacy Education
- Workplace and Community Financial Education
- Communicating Financial Education to Adults
- Communication and the Instructor/Leader
- The Adult Learning Process
- Twelve Principles of Adult Learning
- Motivation and Adult Learners
- Promoting Financial Literacy Education
3. Accredited Financial Counselor™ (AFC™) Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education
See http://www.afcpe.org/pages/index.cfm
An Accredited Financial Counselor is:
- A financial counselor who has certified skills to assist individuals and families in the process of financial decision making.
- A financial counselor who agrees to maintain the highest ethical standards as written in the AFC Code of Ethics.
- A financial counselor who maintains up-to-date knowledge in the fields of personal finance and financial counseling.
The Abilities of an Accredited Financial Counselor:
Accredited Financial Counselors have certified skills to assist individuals and families in the complex process of financial decision making, including the ability to:
- Educate clients in sound financial principles.
- Assist clients in the process of overcoming their financial indebtedness.
- Help clients identify and modify ineffective money management behaviors.
- Guide clients in developing successful strategies for achieving their financial goals.
- Support clients as they work through their financial challenges and opportunities.
- Help clients develop new perspective on the dynamics of money in relation to family, friends and individual self-esteem.
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