Written By: Mark Munzenberger

Advocacy: One Voice Can Change Someone’s Life

Introducing AFCPE’s Advocacy Toolkit

Many years ago, I remember studying for my first certification exam to become a financial counselor. One of the modules that stood out to me was on the topic of consumer protection, or more specifically, the many federal laws that had already been passed to make our financial system fair and just: The Fair Credit Reporting Act, The Truth in Lending Act, The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, and The Equal Credit Opportunity Act. I know that there are many others, but all these laws are still playing a major role in our industry even though some were passed decades ago. 

Back when I was learning about all the different acts, my focus was on the details – what does the law require and how do I help my clients understand their rights?. However, years later, I now look back and wonder how these ground-breaking laws came to be. What was the financial environment like for consumers before the bill was signed into law? Who were the architects of these bills? What type of advocacy efforts were needed to get these bills to the finish line? 

As members of the AFCPE community, we are passionate about personal finances and helping our clients live their best financial lives. We are also in the unique position whereby our work puts us directly in front of people who come to us for counseling, education, or other guidance. We are usually aware of issues like predatory lending, discrimination, and financial fraud well before it is ever “uncovered” by a magazine article or TV documentary. As such, we need to be leaders in the advocacy space to bring these issues to light and work with each other and our elected representatives to keep our financial system fair, equitable, and current. Twenty years ago, there was no Zelle, BNPL, or Credit Karma … but now they are all mainstream.  

The AFCPE Government Relations Task Force is happy to announce a new Advocacy Toolkit for AFCPE Members. To explore the toolkit, visit your Membership Dashboard under Resources. Here you will find many tools, resources, and articles to help keep you informed about what is happening, especially on a federal level. We encourage you to explore all the links and information provided, and ultimately decide where and when to get involved. The toolkit will continue to evolve based on membership feedback as well as the ongoing work of the Task Force. 

One voice can start a conversation which might change someone’s life – make it yours.