Financial counselors assist people and families in gaining financial literacy and developing excellent financial habits. They provide a wide range of services and can assist you with a financial emergency, saving, managing student loans, debt repayment, and referring you to a different sort of financial professional if your needs change. A financial counselor may be able to assist you if you would benefit from financial education and support.
What Is a Financial Counselor?
Financial counselors are personal finance professionals that assist clients in more successfully and responsibly managing their money. They frequently provide instruction and counseling on areas important to low-income families, such as saving, budgeting, debt repayment, credit management, and achieving financial objectives, such as home ownership.
The word “financial counselor,” like many other titles used by financial professionals, is unregulated, which means that anybody can call themselves one. Furthermore, there are no formal qualifications or certificates required to work as a financial advisor. Because of these considerations, finding a counselor with the knowledge and expertise you require might be difficult.
Nonetheless, the accredited financial counselor (AFC), issued by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, is gaining prominence in the sector (AFCPE). Candidates must meet ethical, educational, and experience requirements to achieve the certification, which includes a minimum of 1,000 hours of relevant experience in financial counseling.
What Do Financial Counselors Do?
Financial counselors provide advice and support on a wide range of financial issues. They can assist you with:
- Create a savings account.
- Make a budget (and stick to it).
- Make a debt-reduction strategy.
- Dealing with a financial emergency
- Check to see if you qualify for any tax credits.
- Boost your credit rating
- Manage your credit lines.
- Organize your college loans.
- Change your money habits if they aren’t working for you
- Navigate the public benefits and community resources that are accessible to you.
- Set and achieve financial objecti
- Understand the fundamentals of finance.
- Enhance your overall financial situation.
- When you’re ready, they refer you to an investment advisor or financial planner.
An AFC-certified financial counselor is a wonderful choice if you need guidance with budgeting, saving, or debt repayment. A fund manager or certified financial planner (CFP) will be a perfect choice if you’re searching for investment suggestions, asset management, retirement planning, advanced tax techniques, or a complete financial plan.
How Much Do Financial Counselors Cost?
Financial counselors can be found in a variety of locations, including hospitals, banks, universities, and private practices. The cost of consulting with a financial counselor varies depending on where they work, however it is often less expensive than dealing with a financial advisor or certified financial planner.
Private-practice financial counselors may provide a free initial consultation and then charge a set fee for any further visits. Others may bill on an hourly basis or on a monthly basis.
Free financial counseling services may also be available. Military counselors, for example, may be able to provide free financial counseling to service personnel. Similarly, academic institutions with a money management or resource centre may provide students with free financial counseling.
AFC-certified counselors must charge “fair” fees that are disclosed to clients up front, regardless of where they work.
How to Choose a Financial Counselor
If you think you’d benefit from a financial counselor but don’t know one, start by asking friends, coworkers, or family members who appear to have their finances under control for recommendations. You can also inquire about financial counseling services at your local bank or credit union.
After you’ve narrowed down your list of candidates, the AFCPE recommends asking them the following questions before making final judgments:
- What qualifications do you have? Look for the AFC accreditation, which signifies a greater degree of study and dedication to the field.
- What kind of background do you have? Find a therapist who has worked with people in similar situations to you.
- How do you keep up with the latest personal financial news? AFCs must maintain a code of ethics and satisfy continuous education requirements.
- What services do you provide? Check to see whether their services or areas of expertise match your requirements.
- What is your strategy? Check to see if their ideology, personality, and communication style are compatible with yours.
- What kinds of customers do you work with? Make sure the financial counselor is a good fit for your financial circumstances. Some financial counselors work with clients with a particular minimum net worth.
- What is your fee structure? The financial advisor should provide you an estimate based on your objectives.
- Do you think the financial advice you give me will benefit others? Check for any potential conflicts of interest.
- Have you ever been disciplined for doing something illegal or unethical? You should also get references and conduct an online search.
“Anyone can call oneself a financial counselor, coach, advisor, or planner,” according to the AFCPE, “but a credential implies a greater level of study, specialization, or devotion.”
You can check the AFCPE directory to see if a potential applicant has acquired a certification.
What Is an Accredited Financial Counselor?
The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE) offers the accredited financial counselor (AFC) certification to certify counselors who have passed the organization’s training requirements and promised to follow its ethical standards. To maintain certification, prospects must have a minimum of 1,000 hours of practical experience in financial counseling and complete continuing education.
What Is the Difference Between a Financial Counselor and a Financial Advisor?
The main distinction between financial counselors and advisors is who they serve as clients. Financial counselors typically work with low-income clients to help them develop financial literacy and good financial habits. Financial advisers, on the other hand, often provide a wide range of services to middle- and higher-income customers, including investment suggestions, portfolio management, real estate, tax planning, insuring, and college preparation.
What Does a Financial Counselor Cost?
That is influenced by their place of employment, which could be a bank, a hospital, a college, or their own private practice. A free initial consultation is common, following which a fixed charge per appointment, a hourly pay, or a monthly membership fee are all options. Free services may be available to university students, military service members, and veterans. The cost is usually lower than what financial consultants and professional financial planners charge (CFPs). AFC-accredited financial counselors are allowed to charge “fair” fees that are disclosed up front.
The Bottom Line
Financial counselors help people manage their finances and enhance their financial well-being by providing information and guidance. Working with a financial advisor is a good first step since they can help you establish the groundwork for financial success. Once you have a handle on your finances, the counselor may suggest you to a financial advisor or manager to focus on more sophisticated topics like investing, tax planning, college savings, and establishing a nest egg.
