FICO Score

Our FICO score is used in about everything in our life. From what we pay in interest on loans, car insurance, getting an apartment or even a job and more. Have we become a society that is too dependent on the FICO score? Have we become lazy? How about the...

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The Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Program

I wanted to share some information with AFCPE members about the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan that might be useful to members and their clients who are repaying federal student loans. The Income-Based Repayment (IBR) program was part of the 2007 College Cost Reduction and Access Act and the program goes...

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Keep a Watchful Eye on Consequences of Cardholder Bill of Rights

On Friday, May 22, President Obama signed into law the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act (Credit CARD Act, H.R. 627), a series of sweeping new credit card industry reforms aimed at protecting consumers. If you haven’t had a chance to review the specifics of this legislation, the Washington...

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Helping Youth Learn About Money

Many of you may already know that I have a passion for youth financial literacy. I was involved in the development of the two personal finance-related 4-H curricula—Financial Champions (member of design team) and Consumer Savvy (co-coordinator of the design team). I am also coordinating eXtension’s Financial Security for All...

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Utilizing the Making Work Pay Tax Credit as a Practitioner

As part of my money management coaching sessions I am educating clients about how the Making Work Pay Tax Credit works and how they can utilize this extra money each month to reach specific financial goals. While providing this basic information, it is important not to step out of our...

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Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program

Recently, I began receiving information on the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program. This DoD program originally was designed to assist DoD employees affected by a base realignment known as Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC). Due to the recent passage of the stimulus bill February 17th, 2009, two...

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April is Financial Literacy Month

Although we certainly do not want to limit our focus on financial literacy to one month out of the year, it is important that we take this time to recommit our efforts to promote financial literacy amidst these challenging times. The question to you is how you promote financial literacy...

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How are you using technology in your practice?

I'm delighted to have been asked to kick off a discussion for the new AFCPE website about I use technology in my work, and I invite fellow members to share what they've come upon that is working for them. There's so much good stuff out there -- don't keep it...

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Ruminations from the Executive Director

First a little about me. Many of you know that I have a military background. It was there, helping young Airmen work through a myriad of challenges, that I became interested in personal finance. I retired from the Air Force just passed the twenty-year point. Subsequently, did financial counseling for...

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From AFCPE President Glenn Muske

As I make my first attempt at a blog, the Dow has reached a 6 year low.  What does that mean for those of us in AFCPE?  What can we do?  Is this a “teachable” moment?  And if it is, how and when do we approach the topic and those...

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