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San Diego, CA. - The United States Air Force (USAF)
awarded the nonprofit, Institute of Consumer Financial
Education (ICFE) a contract for the enrollment of 200
USAF personnel in the ICFE’s specialized training and
certification programs. Selected Command Financial
Specialists (CFS) and Community Readiness Consultants (CRC)
with the Airmen and Family Readiness Centers, who are
providing counseling and education at Air Force
installations around the world, are participating.
The ICFE, which is providing exclusive training,
examination and certification to Air Force counselors as
ICFE Certified Credit Report Reviewers (CCRR) and/or the
ICFE Certified Identity Theft Risk Management
Specialists (CITRMS), is also an official partner with
the Department of Defense’s Financial Readiness
Campaign.
Naomi Vernon, of the Airman, Family and Community
Operations Branch, headquartered at Randolph AFB, Texas,
said “Our personnel, and especially new recruits, are
constant targets of fraudulent business deals and scams
whether the businesses are situated outside AF
installations or on the internet. A good way to help
them avoid entrapment is education.” Vernon continued,
“Loan fraud, payday lending, credit and identity theft
are among the most prevalent.”
Many Air Force CRCs and CFSs are Accredited Credit
Counselors (ACCs) or Accredited Financial Counselors (AFCs),
credentials they earned through the Association for
Planning and Counseling Education (AFCPE). Individuals
who hold these credentials are required to earn
continuing education (CE) credits each year, similar to
CPA or CFP continuing education requirements.
The ICFE’s courses on credit report reviewing, and
identity theft risk management are widely recognized and
both are accepted for CE credits with many major
organizations, including the AFCPE, the CFP Board of
Standards and Practices and several state regulatory
licensing agencies.
“The CCRR and CITRMS materials include an Independent
Study Guide, PowerPoint Shows, software and examination
booklet. Once certified, the CRCs are equipped to put on
training seminars and also counsel Air Force personnel
on these important issues,” said Ms. Vernon.
The ICFE has examined and issued credentials to over
5,000 individuals, including privacy consultants, law
enforcement, other military counselors, lawyers,
paralegals, financial planners, credit counselors, real
estate agents and mortgage brokers since 2005.
Get information on ICFE’s certifications at
www.icfe.info.
Contact: ICFE Executive Director Paul Richard, RFC
619-239-1401
OR Naomi Vernon, USAF Randolph AFB, TX at 210-565-2055
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About the ICFE:
About the
ICFE:
The Institute of Consumer Financial Education (ICFE), founded in 1982 by the
late Loren Dunton (creator of the “certified financial planner” (CFP)
designation) and it is dedicated to helping consumers of all ages to improve
their spending, increase savings and use credit more wisely. The ICFE trains and
certifies Personal Finance Instructors for its own curriculum. It also trains
and certifies Credit Report Reviewers and Identity Theft Prevention Specialists.
The ICFE is an award winning, nonprofit, consumer education organization that
has helped millions of people through its education programs and resources. It
publishes the Do-It-Yourself Credit File correction Guide, now in its 16th
printing and has distributed over one million “Credit/Debit Card Warning Labels”
and “Credit/Debit Card Sleeves” world wide.
The ICFE became an official partner with the Department of Defense/Financial
Readiness Campaign in June of 2004.
The ICFE is also a partner in the national Jump$tart Coalition for Financial
Literacy and the California Jump$tart chapter. The ICFE staff is also active
with San Diego Saves, an offshoot of America Saves, and the California Student
Debt Resource Awareness Project (CASDRAP) (studentdebthelp.org).
The ICFE’s on-line help for consumers who spend too much was featured in PARADE
Magazine in the Intelligence Report section. The money helps and tips are from
“The Money Instruction Book,” a course in personal finance, positioned to become
among the premier programs in the new bankruptcy and debtor education
initiatives.
The ICFE Web site at:
http://www.icfe.info helps consumers with mending spending, learning about
the proper use of credit, budget and expense guidelines, how to set up and
implement a spending-plan and also how to access financial education courses and
videos and how to teach children about money. Other ICFE services include a free
eNewsletter, and an online resource center of financial education learning
tools, including videos, books, software and personal finance courses.
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