Blog

It's been nearly two years since the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ruled that same-sex couples legally married in states that recognize their marriages, should be treated as married for federal tax purposes. Subsequently, the ruling applies regardless of whether the couple lives in...

July 13, 2015

Recently in a personal finance class, some of the students asked me how much they should be spending in the different budget categories, such as housing, groceries, and so on. I’ve always seen these categories as somewhat flexible, with the amount you spend on one thing versus another being entirely...

July 08, 2015

As financial counselors, coaches and educators, it is important to recognize and understand various systems of saving and investing that culturally diverse populations and the underbanked might use.  The use of money pools might not be the first choice that a financial professional might recommend to a client, but if...

July 02, 2015

Be prepared. When most people hear these two words, they think of the Boy Scouts of America. I want to share with you why all military spouses need to be prepared as well. I was a military spouse for three months shy of 20 years when my 1SG (First Sergeant)...

June 15, 2015

Part 2: MONEY, DEBT, AND THE LAW 101Read Part 1: A Snapshot View of Consumer DebtLast week we looked at some of the factors that are driving the growth in the debt collection industry and the aggressive nature of that industry, particularly in respect to third-party debt-buyers and consumer debt. Consumer...

June 04, 2015

Let’s talk about a guy named Lawrence. Lawrence served our country in the military. Lawrence is guaranteed a home loan through the VA as a benefit for his service, after he, of course, meets certain minimum qualifications. Lawrence almost didn’t get to close a deal due to a Realtor® who was...

June 02, 2015

Part 1: MONEY, DEBT, AND THE LAW 101According to the Federal Reserve, credit card debt reached $884.8 billion this month, and student loan debt topped out at $1.8 trillion. The average household carries $15,609 in credit card debt, while the average student loan debt is $32,956. At the same time that...

May 28, 2015

MFLN Personal Finance Webinars Founded in 2012, Military Families Learning Network (MFLN) Personal Finance aims to build the financial management capability and educational background of Personal Financial Management (PFM) Program Managers. PFMs are employed by the military to provide educational and counseling to active duty military, their family members, and retirees. Many...

May 27, 2015

Sometimes we just need to get back to the basics. What is your definition of a need? How do you define a want? A popular movement in America is the minimalist approach. By their lifestyle and desire to be free from debt, many are getting rid of all but the...

May 06, 2015

Initial Results and Continuing the Discussion As Financial Literacy Month comes to an end, we are excited to share the results of AFCPE’s Field Research Survey. The survey results represent the collective ideas and insights from practitioners, researchers and educators in the field of personal finance. AFCPE Members were eager...

April 30, 2015

AFCPE: Building the Bridge from Research to Practice The goal of the Financial Literacy effort is to provide consumers with the knowledge and skills they need to make good financial decisions on their own. Individually, as financial researchers, educators and practitioners, you are regularly focused on the financial literacy effort. Working collectively,...

April 01, 2015

Membership Spotlight: Madeleine Greene, 2014 AFCPE® Financial Counselor of the Year Madeleine Greene is an award-winning educator, speaker, author, TV and radio show host and value-oriented penny pincher at heart. In 2014, she added AFCPE Financial Counselor of the Year to her list of accolades. As a longtime, active member of...

March 25, 2015