FINRA Investor Education Foundation and AFCPE Kick-Off Financial Education Program For Professional Marriage and Divorce Counselors

Washington, DC — The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE) today is launching a unique financial training program for professionals who counsel married or divorcing couples, a program funded by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

Formerly known as the NASD Investor Education Foundation, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation was established in 2003 and is the largest foundation in the United States dedicated to investor education.

The project, Improving the Financial Management of Intact and Divorcing Couples Receiving Counseling Services, consists of six training modules on topics such as financial communications, budgeting and cash flow management, retirement plan assets, stocks, bonds and mutual funds, marital residences and tax issues in divorce. Material for the program was developed by experts including college professors, marriage and family therapists, conflict mediators and financial consultants.

Participants in the free, six-hour training program earn continuing education units and agree to offer pro bono services. Other project deliverables include printed materials for distribution in counseling offices, a white paper outlining best practices and a model syllabus for use by other relevant professional organizations.

AFCPE provides professional development experiences for financial educators, practitioners and researchers to improve the economic well-being of individuals and families worldwide. The Association's vision is to be internationally recognized as the leading provider of professional development opportunities.

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that give investors the tools they need to better understand the markets and the basic principles of saving and investing. To date, the FINRA Foundation has approved $10.4 million in grants and an additional $10.2 million in direct investor education programming. For details about grant programs and other FINRA Foundation initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. Created in 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and NYSE Member Regulation, FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. FINRA touches virtually every aspect of the securities business - from registering and educating all industry participants to examining securities firms; writing and enforcing rules and the federal securities laws; informing and educating the investing public; providing trade reporting and other industry utilities, and administering the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and registered firms.

For more information, please visit our Web site at www.finra.org.