Enhanced Financial Counseling Certificate Program (FiCEP)

The Kentucky Credit Union League is excited to announce the Enhanced Financial Counseling Certification self-study program!

The Enhanced Financial Counseling Certification Program (FiCEP) enables all credit union staff to become more confident in helping members build a stronger financial future. The program is designed for credit union staff who work in the financial counseling, collections, and loan departments, or any other staff members who are committed to helping members gain control of their financial future.

Program Participation Benefits

  • Proven financial counseling skills that become part of the credit union's culture. 

  • Written for all staff so anyone can offer financial counseling during every member interaction.

  • Certification that satisfies members' needs as they rely upon the value of their credit unions.

  • Differentiates a credit union by having certified financial counselors on its team.

  • Helps members transform the way they deal with money through real-world counseling.

What's Included

In addition to self-study education materials, this program includes:

  • Welcome video by the instructor

  • Eight (8) modules presented in print format for each student to read at their own pace

  • Tutorial webinars following each module

  • Printable fill-in-the-blank study guide with answer key for each module

  • Take-away tool kits including budget spreadsheets, spending plans, tracking methods, and more

  • One in-person training session to help participants learn how to use their new skills at work

For additional information or assistance, please contact Janet Garrett at [email protected].

Study & Testing Schedule

This course is semi-self-paced. We provide the suggested schedule below to keep you on track to complete your final exam and participate in the training day with the entire class of graduates. Some weeks your reading and viewing will be shorter than others but the average is 30 pages a week with webinar length averaging 45 minutes.

 

September 12, 2023
 Module One: Chapters 1 – 4 Financial attitudes, counseling essentials, and member data.
September 19, 2023
 Module Two: Chapters 5 - 9 Exploring solutions, developing plans, building savings, overcoming member objections, and counseling families.
September 26, 2023

Module Three: Chapters 10 - 14

 Self-employment, creditors, collectors, garnishments, coaching members, conversation skills, and different types of debt.
October 3, 2023
 Module Four: Chapters 15 - 20 Controlling living expenses, consolidation loans, financing higher education, repossessions, evictions, foreclosures, and bankruptcy.
October 10, 2023
 Module Five: Chapters 21 - 25 Identity theft, elder fraud, retirement planning, financial planning before death, and referring specialized resources based on need
October 17, 2023
 Module Six: Chapters 26 - 28 Taxes, insurance, and investments.
October 24, 2023
 Module Seven: Chapters 29 - 30 Member's addictions, and resources for military veterans and their families.
October 30, 2023
 Module Eight: Chapters 31 - 33 Developing your credit union's financial education program for members as well as internal staff, and tracking, measuring, and reporting concepts for your program.
November 2, 2023

Exam Review:  9:30 - 10:30 am EST

Break: 10:30 a.m. - 10:45 am EST

Proctored Exam:
10:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. EST

  
December 7, 2023
 Next Steps Training This virtual half-day training will walk you through what to do now that you're a certified financial counselor.

 

Educational Investment

$995 per person 

Registration closes on July 31, 2023 to ensure timely arrival of books.

Cancellation Policy

We hope that all participants who sign up for the Enhanced Financial Counseling Certification Program will be able to attend. However, we understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise. If cancellations are made before class materials are ordered, refunds may be available, and substitutions are always accepted.

We cannot refund after Tuesday, August 1, 2023, when textbooks have been ordered. 

Substitutions are always welcome. 

Who should become a Certified Financial Counselor?

Anyone desiring to become one should have the opportunity to do so, but we especially recommend this program for Lending Staff, Collections Staff, Branch Managers, Trainers and Educators.

REGISTER

Have questions?  Please contact Janet Garrett at [email protected].