FPA and AFCPE Join Forces on New Initiatives

DENVER and ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) and Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) today announced they will begin working together on a number of initiatives designed to leverage the organizations' natural synergistic strengths and resources. The joint efforts will provide significant value to the constituents of FPA, the nation's largest membership group for personal financial planning experts and AFCPE, which is dedicated to educating, training and certifying financial counselors and educators.

 FPA's and AFCPE's primary areas of collaboration will include:

• Supporting and developing the complementary disciplines and professional specialties of financial counseling and financial planning;
• Providing specially designed options to FPA members who wish to obtain Accredited Financial Counselors® (AFC®) and Certified Housing Counselors® (CHC®) certification, and to AFCPE counselors who are seeking membership within FPA and explore opportunities to work with CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ members of FPA;
• Helping enhance personal finance research and education programming, including expanded opportunities for FPA members and AFCPE certified counselors to gain Continuing Education;
• Developing communities of practice between FPA and AFCPE memberships both nationally and regionally; and
• Expanding educational sessions on key personal finance topics at the organizations' respective conferences.

"FPA's new relationship with AFCPE is part of our ongoing commitment to provide our members with new benefits and superior value to support their personal finance expertise and financial planning practices," said FPA Executive Director and CEO Marvin W. Tuttle, Jr., CAE.  "Our work together will provide tangible results in helping advance the profession of financial planning."

"AFCPE is excited to team with FPA to advance the profession of personal finance as we develop the complimentary relationship between financial counseling and financial planning," said AFCPE Executive Director Gordon A. Genovese, MBA.  "Our collaboration will benefit our members and clients, as well as demonstrate tangible results of our efforts to support national initiatives to improve financial literacy and financial capability."

About the Financial Planning Association
The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) is the largest membership organization for personal financial planning experts in the U.S. and includes professionals from all backgrounds and business models. FPA members adhere to the highest standards of professional competence, ethical conduct and clear, complete disclosure to those they serve. FPA and its unparalleled network of 95 national chapters work in alliance with academic leaders, legislative and regulatory bodies, financial services firms and consumer interest organizations. For more information about FPA, please visit www.FPAnet.org or call 800.322.4237.

About Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education
The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) is a non-profit, international, professional membership organization dedicated to improving personal financial literacy and capability.  AFCPE members support researchers, educators and counselors with the goal of enhancing the education, training, and certification of financial counselors, educators, and other related practitioners. AFCPE members and certificants adhere to the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics with educators, students, and clients in its pursuit to help families from all walks of life make effective financial decisions.  For more information about AFCPE, please visit www.afcpe.org.   

SOURCE Financial Planning Association