Establishing a Financial Counseling Program

Opportunities Offered by or in conjunction with: Offered by or in conjunction with: – Governmental, charitable, and nonprofit social service agencies and organizations –Consumer credit counseling services, lender loan application and collection programs, and bankruptcy and post-bankruptcy programs –Fannie Mae, FHA, and other home buying, financing, and reverse mortgage programs –Family court programs, marital mediation programs, uncontested and contested divorce settlements, and child custody and support agreements

Opportunities Corporate employee assistance programs, labor union benefit programs, and nonprofit member service programs Corporate employee assistance programs, labor union benefit programs, and nonprofit member service programs Family service and financial education programs provided by the United States armed services community; Cooperative Extension, and various state and local community development programs Family service and financial education programs provided by the United States armed services community; Cooperative Extension, and various state and local community development programs Private practice on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis. Private practice on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis.

Important questions regarding structure and support of program Who wants the program? Who wants the program? Why do they want it? Why do they want it? How will it be supported? How will it be supported? How will it fit in? How will it fit in? What role will it play? What role will it play? How will it be structured? How will it be structured?

Counselor credentials Accredited Financial Counselor Accredited Financial Counselor Certified Consumer Credit Counselor Certified Consumer Credit Counselor ISUE Certified Financial Counselor ISUE Certified Financial Counselor Financial Counseling Certificate Financial Counseling Certificate Solution Focused Financial Counseling Solution Focused Financial Counseling Financial Counseling Training Financial Counseling Training Volunteer Financial Counselor Training Volunteer Financial Counselor Training Collections and Credit Counseling Schools Collections and Credit Counseling Schools

Establishing policies Accepting clients Scheduling appointments Handling information Advising clients Charging clients

Establishing procedures Inquiry procedure Appointment procedure Registration procedure Record-keeping procedure Evaluation procedure