Real Money, Real Experts

“Whether someone wants to be independent with their finances is their absolute decision…but what I don’t want that decision to be based around is the fact that someone cannot see anymore…I want to help [people] realize that there are options.” - Liz BottnerOn this week’s episode, we get to know Chris Peterson and Liz Bottner of Penny Forward. Penny Forward is a non-profit organization that offers accessible financial wellness education and counseling programs for people who are blind or disabled. Chris started the organization in 2020, and together with Liz they are “boldly and bravely” breaking down barriers to financial counseling and education.Chris and Liz share some of the ways managing personal finances is unique to someone who is blind or low-vision. They also remind us that, with all clients, it’s important to get to know each client individually - their needs, goals and aspirations. Learn how Penny Forward can be a resource to you, and the ways you can get involved and support their mission. Show Notes: 1:27 Chris & LIz's journey into this space4:06 From teaching to starting Penny Forward9:00 Liz's background and being cohost12:57 Personal finance and the blind community18:30 Advice for professionals wanting to be more accessible22:28 How can people get involved with Penny Forward26:49 Chris & Liz's final 2 centsShow Note Links:PennyForward SummitPennyForward WebsiteConnect with PennyForward onFacebookInstagramTwitterYouTubeClubhousePennyForward PodcastInterested in volunteering? Email pennyforward@pennyforward.com Want to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

With the student loan pause coming to an end and a new repayment plan announced, we wanted to answer your questions. And who better to help us break down the new Student Loan SAVE plan than Ryan Law.Ryan H. Law is an award-winning educator who teaches in the Personal Financial Planning program at Utah Valley University. He’s a Certified Financial Planner, an Accredited Financial Counselor®, past President of the AFCPE Board of Directors, and also a leading expert in student loans. In today's episode we discuss the benefits of the SAVE plan, how financial professionals can support their clients during this time, and 5 things we need to do now. Show Notes:1:41 Why repayments may return2:24 The current student loan landscape6:45 How to best support your clients with these changes8:27 Who is best suited for the SAVE loans9:24 Borrowers and calling their providers10:47 Ryan's recommended payment calculators11:03 Benefits to switching to SAVE plan11:52 Interest accumulation & rollover13:26 Other elements of this plan to be aware of13:59 Student loan forgiveness14:43 The PSLF program16:12 Budgeting for payments again19:09 Other resources to look for24:30 Ryan's 2 cents for clientsShow Note Links:Studentaid.govhttps://ryanhlaw.com/student-loan-save-plan/Want to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Sarah Newcomb is an applied scientist, behavioral economist, and the Founder of the Thrive Financial Empowerment Center. Her work bridges the gap between research and practice, adapting the findings of academic research for practical use in personal financial management.In this episode, Sarah shares her own personal story and how it led to her current work - exploring the connection between mental and financial health, particularly among our youth.  We discuss the need for empowerment-based and trauma-informed financial education and how understanding the psychology behind behaviors leads to both understanding and empathy. And she shares some practical insights on the things financial counselors, coaches, and advisors can do to give their clients agency. Show Notes:1:22 Sarah's money story7:14 Utilizing academic findings for practical use9:39 Young people and their mental + financial health14:45 Empowerment-based financial education23:58 Moving away from the contamination narrative to a redemptive one (and what that means)27:47 Sarah's new financial empowerment content30:28 Sarah's final 2 centsShow Note Links:Sarah’s websiteSpeaking and further CE from SarahSarah’s book, “Loaded”Statistics:CDC Youth Risk Behavior Risk Behavior SurveyFrontiers in Public HealthThe Deloitte Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial SurveyWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Rhonda Noordyk, founded The Women's Financial Wellness Center in 2014.  Her mission is to help reduce financial vulnerability for women going through divorce. In this episode, Rhonda talks to us about the challenges women face when going through divorce, the financial considerations, and the importance of having a support team to provide legal, financial, and emotional support.As an advocate for women, Rhonda believes that knowledge plus experience equals confidence, and she understands the value of trauma-informed care. This episode provides great insights and resources to help you or your clients navigate divorce.Show Notes:2:06 Rhonda's journey into the divorce space4:29 Building her own business10:50 Her experience with divorce and founding the women's center14:50 The big challenges for women20:19 Lack of confidence around finances27:49 Best methods for women when they're going through a divorce37:57 Rhonda's final 2 centsShow Note Links:Connect on Instagram| Facebook| LinkedinDivorce Conversations for Women Podcast Your Bridge from Divorce Crisis to ClosureDivorce Resource Guide QuizJoin Rhonda for our upcoming webinar:FPA Connect: A Behind the Scenes Look at Divorce: 3 ways you can help your clients: - August 17 at 12 PM ETWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Kimberly Henne is a board member and financial wellness coach for a local nonprofit, Ways for Life, an organization that works with youth aged 15 - 25 who are touched by foster care or homelessness. In this episode we learn more about Kimberly's personal journey with the foster care system - she adopted both of her children out of foster care - as well as some of the unique challenges facing foster youth. We also discuss the opportunity for AFC professionals to marry their skills and passions to serve local nonprofit organizations that have a critical need for high-quality financial counseling and education.Show Notes:2:17 How Kimberly discovered the AFC and the military spouse fellowship3:41 Her transition from the military to the Red Cross5:04 Into foster care and adopting her children6:15 Financial counseling in the foster care system6:57 How she got involved with volunteering9:16 What are the needs of youth in the foster care system?12:27 Aging out of the foster care system and how to help14:11 Tracking outcomes and effects of education15:35 How her experience benefit her in the military community16:29 Advice for other AFC professionals breaking into the nonprofit17:29 Kimberly's 2 centsShow Note Links:Ways for LifeKimberly’s LinkedInPost a volunteer opportunity for AFC candidatesWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Today’s guest, Jonathan Walker, has spent much of his career studying American households - to better understand human behavior and figure out how to create environments where people can succeed and thrive. Jonathan is a practitioner who understands the value of research and how these findings can be translated into practice. In this episode, Jonathan shares the three big components to how people function in their finances - numbers, behavior, and values. We discuss the importance of providing information that isn’t anchored in bias or judgment, and explore how values play a critical role in our financial lives.Show Notes:2:27 Into Jonathan's background4:34 The industries he comes from7:04 Importance of listening & sharing10:40 Advice for fellow practitioners17:28 Into Jonathan's tool for helping people identify their financial values22:29 Tools available to practitioners working with clients23:59 Why academia must inform practice28:23 The need for his book30:31 More about The Yukon Project32:56 Jonathan's final 2 centsShow Note Links:Money MindfulnessJonathan’s websiteJonathan’s book: "Anchors, Ostriches, and a Hot Pair of Scissors: Navigating Human Behavior as a Financial Professional" can be found here.YouTube Video of “Anchors, Ostriches, and a Hot Pair of Scissors” The Financial Behavior Keynote GroupThe Center for the New Middle ClassJonathan’s values-identification tool The Yukon Project website and YouTubeWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

"The greatest gift we can give our clients is providing that space where they can find the presence of the feeling that they are not alone.” Today’s guest, Dr. Erika Rasure, is a financial therapist and deep transformational coach; the Chair of the Research Board for the Financial Therapy Clinical Institute; and a Client Financial Therapist for Beyond Finance.In this episode, we discuss the biases that exist within the industry; how money stories and very human decisions are too often surrounded by embarrassment or shame; and the importance of helping people move through financial trauma. Show Notes:3:07 Erika's journey into personal finance5:17 Being a deep transformational coach7:19 Political science to therapy8:50 Working with Beyond Finance12:00 A story that has resonated with Erika15:32 Meeting people where they are17:26 How counselors utilize therapy without becoming a therapist21:21 Erika's final 2 centsShow Note Links:Connect with Erika on LinkedInToday’s episode is sponsored by Beyond Finance, whose mission is to help individuals and families struggling with debt find a pathway to financial freedom.Beyond Finance is currently hiring Accredited Financial Counselors to provide clients with one-on-one virtual financial counseling sessions in areas of budgeting, credit building, and creating a values-driven action plan. Positions are remote and offer flexible schedules. To learn more, visit careercenter.afcpe.org.Want to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Our guest today, Michael Kothakota is the head of research at the CFP Board. In this episode, we learn about Michael’s path into financial services, and how the AFC curriculum - on the way to becoming a planner - helped broaden his perspective and enabled him to better support clients. We discuss how critical it is for financial professionals to be able to effectively connect solutions to human needs, and the importance of relational skills and building trust with our clients. We also get a glimpse into the early stages of CFP Board’s client impact study and are reminded how important it is not to build a profession on anecdotes. Show Notes:1:56 Mike's journey into financial planning and research5:56 Building an integrated continuum of personal finance9:12 CFB board's addition of financial psychology13:16 Into his role as research director17:45 Metrics around financial behavior19:43 The importance of research in the finance industry23:17 Advice for students or career changers into financial planning26:18 Mike's final 2 centsShow Note Links:CFP Board Research and ResourcesWealth Bridge WealthConnect on LinkedinJFCP Research Journal & AFCPE Research resourcesWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

"Don't let fear and hesitation hold you back." This week's guest is two-time Olympian and financial coach, Keturah Orji (“K.O.”). Keturah is a decorated Track and Field athlete, who is balancing the pursuit of her athletic dreams with studying for the AFC and building a financial coaching practice. Keturah is as authentic as she is driven. We talk about why she became a financial coach, what led her to the AFC, and how she finds balance. She shares advice for other AFC candidates and entrepreneurs. And we get to learn about her big 3 philosophy, the starting point she gives all of her clients, no matter where they are in their financial journey. If you have big goals, or are balancing multiple priorities (aren't we all?), then this episode is for you.Show Notes:2:00 What led Keturah to pursue financial planning3:52 Balancing athletic and career aspirations7:59 Balancing training, work, and life8:55 Training for the 2024 Olympics11:01 How traveling has helped influence her teachings11:58 "KO's Big Three"13:17 Some of Keturah's challenges15:39 Applying her athletic lessons to finance17:10 Tips for those also trying to reach goals19:52 Keturah's final two centsShow Note Links:Connect with Keturah onLinkedInTwitterInstagram FacebookKeturah's BlogWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

This week on "Real Money, Real Experts", Rachael and Mary sit down with psychologist and behavioral finance expert, Daniel Crosby. This conversation was a fun one, covering everything from epic failures to Chat GPT to the power of authenticity - which starts with doing the hard internal work on ourselves.Daniel reminds us that technology is our friend, shares some great book and podcast recommendations, and offers words of wisdom from his father that we can all benefit from remembering.Show Notes:1:25 Daniel's journey into this field3:45 How the transition into this space worked7:54 One failure Daniel has experienced 10:11 One success Daniel has experienced11:35 His journey as an author15:33 Advice for building engagement with clients17:39 How technology may affect or drive financial services in the future21:32 Top books Daniel recommends23:03 Daniel's final 2 cents24:27 How listeners can connect with himShow Note Links:Connect with Daniel on Linkedin or TwitterDaniel's books:The Behavioral InvestorThe Laws of WealthOrion Advisor TechnologyBrad Klontz, Ted Klontz, & Charles Chaffin - The Pyschology of Financial Planning for PractitionersRichard Shotton - The Choice FactoryStandard Deviations podcastJen Clinehens - Choice Hacking PodcastWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Today’s guest believes that personal finance is a topic to sing and dance about! Julie Beckham, AFC® has taken her passion and turned it into a career, marrying her love for the arts with financial education. Her musical, Ms. Money and the Coins, has been shared with more than 80,000 elementary-age students in Massachusetts and is now available nationwide as an online learning platform - in both English and Spanish. In addition to all things K-12 financial education, we also discuss the amazing opportunity that banks have to help bridge financial education from youth to adulthood; and the value of having more AFC professionals working in banks and community-based organizations.Show Notes:1:57 How she paired her love for finance and arts into a successful career4:27 More about her upcoming musical5:50 How others who are interested in putting this on can access it6:39 Advice for other aspiring podcast creators8:28 Julie's current financial education efforts in the banking space10:55 How more banks can invest in an AFC education for their employees14:21 More into how Julie values the AFC15:47 Advice towards others trying to bridge gaps in financial education and literacy18:55 Julie's final 2 cents Show Note Links:Connect with Rockland Trust on:InstagramTwitterLinkedInFacebookConnect with Julie on LinkedInMs. Money's ClassroomNo Shame in this Money Game's Mini Money Minutes Want to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Our guest this week is Kia McCallister-Young, AFC, Director of America Saves. With a background in marketing and communications, Kia knows how to create a compelling message that moves people to action. And it’s a skill she uses often in her work at America Saves.Today Kia shares some of these tips and strategies, and gets us up-to-speed on all the America Saves campaigns (including this month’s Military Saves Week, America Saves at Work, America Saves for Young Workers, and launching this month - Veterans Saves!) America Saves provides relatable, down-to-earth personal finance strategies that are easy to implement and make sense for your life - and Kia is as relatable as they come. It’s an open, authentic episode you don’t want to miss.Show Notes:1:34 What is America Saves?2:47 How campaigns help leverage personal values4:58 How Kia made it to her position today6:43 What is Military Saves?8:37 How to become more involved11:15 Into the Workplace Savers program13:33 How the AFC® has helped Kia's work16:19 Growing your social media presence18:08 Kia's final 2 centsShow Note Links:America SavesMilitary SavesAmerica Saves at WorkAmerica Saves for Young WorkersWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Heather Jarvis is an attorney and a nationally recognized expert specializing in student loan law. As a first-generation college student, Heather got her start in the nonprofit space and was an early advocate for policy change. In this episode, we take a deep dive into all thing student loans - from forgiveness to bankruptcy to changes in trends, regulations, and legislation. A must-listen for anyone who is helping individuals and families navigate student loans.Show Notes:1:26 How Heather got into this industry 3:24 Intro to student loan forgiveness and student debt cancellation6:19 Different types of forgiveness 8:35 Transfer their public loans to a private loan 10:04 Student loans and bankruptcy packages 11:32 Advice & resources for those who want to learn more in this area 14:38 Inside Heather's business model 18:07 What is going to change in the student loan space in the next few years?  22:07 Inside the complicated marketplace24:01 Heather's outlook on what will move forward in a divided congress28:56 Heather's final 2 centsShow Note LinksStudent Aid CSLA InstituteAsk Heather JarvisEmail HeatherWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

“If you want to belong, there is a place for you.” Our guest this week is Dr. Cherie Stueve, an AFC, a military spouse, and a self-described consummate learner. Cherie shares her journey from farm life to spouse life, the money lessons she learned along the way, and why she is such a strong advocate for the AFC designation.We learn about her journey to the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship, and how it served as not only the foundation for her career but how it led to life-long friendships and community.Show Notes:3:26 Cherie's early lessons in money7:53 How she discovered the military spouse fellowship for the AFC12:21 Being a continual learner14:09 Advice for AFCs or those considering19:06 Advice for newcomers to the personal finance space25:46 Cherie's final 2 centsShow Note Links:How to Find Work You Love and Make a DifferenceConnect with Cherie on LinkedinWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

This week we sit down with Chris Browning, the creator and host of the award-winning, short-form podcast Popcorn Finance. Chris is an OG in the personal finance podcast space with more than 350+ episodes that cover popular finance topics in about the time it takes to make a bag of popcorn.In this episode, we dive into his start as a podcaster (spoiler, it literally started from the front seat of his car!) his business model, and how he keeps his content new and fresh. Chris is down-to-earth, humble, and full of wisdom for those wanting to get into the podcast space. Show Notes:2:30 How he got into the world of finance and podcasting4:08 Podcasting as his full-time role6:42 How Chris found his niche8:56 The slow journey of podcasting11:40 Into his business model14:35 Mentors and help along the way16:23 How Chris continues to generate content18:14 Being an "Influencer"20:11 Balancing his strengths and personality traits for business22:50 Chris's final 2 centsShow Note Links:@PopcornFinancePodcast on InstagramConnect on LinkedInFollow on TikTok and Twitterhttps://popcornfinance.com/Want to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Andy Hill, AFC® candidate, is the award-winning family finance coach behind Marriage, Kids, and Money - a platform dedicated to helping young families build wealth and happiness. Andy believes that money is a tool that helps you move toward the life you want to have, and is on a personal mission to help more people get there. In this episode, we learn more about Andy's business model, the importance of balance, and what it means to be an influencer. We also touch on destigmatizing talking about money, and the creative ways Andy brings his own kids into the conversation. Show Notes:1:27 How Andy got started3:21 Andy's family business4:39 Tips for other entrepreneurs6:06 How he has set up his business model7:59 Who helped Andy along the way10:44 Teaching his kids about money15:14 What is Coast Fire?21:23 Andy's final 2 centsShow Note Links:Part-Time Work by 40 Coast Fire, Millionaire Family in their 30'sMake My Kid a Millionaire Course (To come in March)  Marriage Kids & Money Podcast:IG: @marriagekidsandmoney Connect with Andy on LinkedIn Want to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

Show Notes:2:22 What led Meghan to financial counseling5:15 Inside Meghan's business model6:36 How she serves her clients7:25 The setup of her business8:53 Advice for approaching employers without a financial wellness program10:57 How to best network with businesses13:26 Advice for other counselors interested in this work15:35 Meghan's final 2 centsShow Note Links:Connect with Meghan on Linkedin and her companyCIF Financial PlanningFinancial Health Network Studies PolkaDot PowerhouseAFCPE Community: Join MembershipFINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship: Applications open March 1!This week on Real Money, Real Experts, our hosts sit down with Meghan Lape, AFC®, CFP®, EA®, the founder of Conscious Impact Financial Planning, a financial wellness and socially responsible investment firm.Meghan recognizes that all too often, the people who need financial services the most also cannot afford them. Her solution? Engaging with employers to better meet people where they are. As an AFC, Meghan is a fierce advocate for financial wellness programs in the workplace, and believes in a people-first approach. On this episode, she takes us through her business model, shares how’s she’s building a network within her local community, and offers honest words of advice and encouragement for other entrepreneurs.Want to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

This week we are excited to welcome Sasha Grabenstetter to the show! Sasha is a new AFCPE Board Member and the Financial Planning Education Consultant at eMoney Advisor who shares AFCPE's passion for creating a more integrated field that better serves all individuals and families.In this episode, we discuss the benefits of building financial planning practices that offer wrap-around services and talk about the value in building strong referral partnerships between counselors, coaches, and planners. Sasha is a gifted educator with infectious energy, making this a must-listen episode!Show Notes:1:36 Why AFCPE and the AFC®?6:05 What is eMoney?7:33 Into Sasha's work with eMoney9:26 How the CFP and AFC complement each other11:46 Financial planning firms & the ever-changing landscape16:07 More into referral partnerships and the AFC21:41 Sasha's advice for connecting to audiences as a podcaster23:22 Sasha's final 2 centsShow Note Links:eMoney AdvisorApple Seed ProgramConnect with Sasha on LinkedIn Heart of Advice blogWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

We’re kicking off 2023 with award-winning journalist and the founder and CEO of HerMoney Media, Jean Chatzky!In this episode, Jean shares her journey into journalism and personal finance and discusses the importance of building camaraderie and accountability when talking about money. We learn more about her coaching programs FinanceFixx and InvestingFixx and why she values the AFC. Jean leaves us with great advice that is applicable to personal finance but also for any goals you may be setting in the new year! Show Notes:1:38 How Jean got started8:12 Jean's PBS show: Opportunity Knocks8:59 Why she recommends the AFC11:15  FinanceFixx and InvestingFixx 15:14 Suggestions for women getting started with organizing their finances19:01 Jean's final 2 centsShow Note Links:Follow @JeanChatzky and @HerMoneyMediaJean is hiring part-time coaches! Send her an email or connect at jean@hermoney.comFinance FixxHer MoneyInvesting FixxOpportunity KnocksOpportunity FindersWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.

In the final episode of this season, Mary and Rachael are joined by AFCPE’s Board President, Michele Godfrey, AFC®. Two weeks ago, we kicked off the 2022 AFCPE Symposium with a trip down memory lane – celebrating where we’ve been and where we’re going as we wrap up celebrations for the #30YearsofAFC. In this episode, we’ll recap some of the highlights from our opening general session, answer your questions about the organization, and share our favorite moments from #AFCPE2022.This episode was live-streamed on Youtube on November 22nd, 2022.Transcript and Show Notes:1:08 Why focus on the past, present, and future?4:31 What's happening in the world of certification and education10:03 What groups live within the profession?14:18 What can someone get out of membership?24:43 What's next with the AFCPE Pro Bono Program?27:54  Thoughts for those wanting to get into private practice32:28 Outgoing remarks from Board President MicheleShow Note Links:Annual ReportDownload Symposium RecordingsWant to get involved with AFCPE®?Here are a few places to start: Become a Member, Sign up for an Essentials Course, or Get AFC Certified today! Want to support the podcast? We love partnering with organizations that share our mission and values. Download our media kit.