November 11, 2016
Friday, November 11, Washington, DC – Visa Inc. and the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education® (AFCPE®) today announced the launch of a new program designed to provide veterans with professional financial management support. The Visa Veterans Financial Outreach Program will provide free, unbiased financial counseling with the initial goal of assisting 1,500 veterans over the next year.
Visa and the AFCPE are working to connect veterans to Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC®) using a newly developed, dual-platform that allows counselors to work directly with individuals during face to face and virtual financial counseling sessions. AFC professionals, who will be sharing resources and financial management tools with veterans, undergo a rigorous certification program and are uniquely trained to assist individuals in the complex process of financial decision making. All AFC professionals participating in the program have experience working with military families and have taken part in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Foundation’s Military in Transition financial education series.
“Due to the impending drawdown of the U.S. Armed Forces, additional financial capability building support and resources are necessary for recently separated service members and the professionals who serve them,” said AFCPE Executive Director, Rebecca Wiggins. “Recognizing this need, the AFCPE developed a new professional online financial wellness tool for Accredited Financial Counselors to use with their clients to deliver comprehensive financial counseling services. This valuable partnership with Visa will enable AFC professionals to provide these services to 1,500 deserving veterans, free of charge.”
“Visa has the greatest respect for those who have served this country as part of the military, which is why we helped found the Veterans Financial Coalition” said Hugh Norton, Head of U.S. Financial Education, Visa Inc. “We are excited to partner with the AFCPE to help provide veterans with financial counseling and education at no cost to them. Whether veterans are dealing with a specific financial crisis, are working to get out of debt or simply want to develop successful strategies to achieve financial goals, this partnership will enable them to connect with a trained financial professional who can help.”
More information about the program and other resources for veterans can be found at www.veteransfinancialcoalition.org.
Veterans who are interested in being connected with an AFC professional should complete this form or contact support@afcpe.org or 614-368-1049.
About AFCPE®
AFCPE® ensures the highest integrity of the financial counseling profession by certifying, connecting, and supporting diverse professionals. Our comprehensive certification programs represent the gold standard for financial counseling, coaching and education, including the AFC® (Accredited Financial Counselor®) certification which is accredited by NCCA and nationally recognized by CFPB and DoD. AFCPE supports its members by providing career advancement and professional development opportunities, including exceptional financial education trainings, the Journal for Financial Counseling & Planning and an Annual Research & Training Symposium.
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Contact:
Rachael DeLeon
Communications Director, AFCPE
614-746-0300 | rdeleon@afcpe.org
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