The CFE Certified Financial Educator®

 
Financial Advisors: Ready to apply now? Click here.
 

Nothing promotes expertise like education.  More and more professionals in the financial services arena recognize the advantage of offering solid educational principles as an alternative to traditional selling practices. People want to be educated – not to replace the advice and services of financial professionals, but to protect themselves from unscrupulous vendors.
 
Consumers appreciate a basic understanding of the confusing world of financial services and respect those who can provide that education.  As with any service industry, we all want to have some control over our important decisions and we are more likely to make timely decisions when we feel we have some understanding of the process.  Financial education assists consumers in making timely decisions by working with professionals whom they trust to provide the financial education they need.

A Trusted Resource
 
Employers, government agencies, school systems, trade associations and others are seeking advice from trusted sources on how to best provide financial education for their employees and associates.   
 
As a CFE Certified Financial Educator®, a financial professional is recognized as that trusted source – someone who has the conceptual knowledge and the ability to impart that knowledge to adult learners in a practical setting.
 
A CFEd® is acknowledged by both human resource professionals and university personnel as someone who is competent and effective in providing financial literacy education.  The CFEd® provides insight and information for employees, reducing employer liability.  The CFEd® is a tremendous resource for Human Resource Professionals and for companies, organizations and associations that seek financial expertise from one who educates others. In addition, those who are accepted into the Registry will have a greater opportunity to represent the Consortium of Colleges and Universities and will be sponsored to teach the Heartland Institute financial wellness courses at business locations.

The Heartland Institute, through the CFEd® professional designation program, is committed to assisting financial professionals in all fields of the financial services industry to provide high-quality financial education to both groups and individuals.  The Institute is looking for financial professionals with expertise in their field and some experience in adult education (it need not be in the financial services area).  If you are interested in distinguishing yourself as someone qualified to provide financial education, the CFEd® designation program may be right for you.   
The Designation
 
The proper use of the designation can be accomplished in two formats:
  1. CFE Certified Financial Educator®
  2. CFEd®

These are the only acceptable formats when using the designation.

The CFE Certified Financial Educator® is a registered designation awarded to individual professional practitioners who have:

  • Knowledge in the field of financial services
  • Experience in the area of teaching or instructing adult learners (either formally or informally)

By obtaining the CFEd® designation, financial professionals can be recognized for their experience and expertise in the above mentioned areas.  In addition, those who consider themselves eligible may wish to apply for inclusion in the Registry of Certified Financial Educators after they have attained the CFEd® designation.  Professionals in the following financial services fields may be eligible:
  •  Financial Planning
  •  Banking/Mortgage Services
  •  Insurance & Investment Services
  •  Third Party Administrators
  •  Accounting
  •  Planned Giving
  •  Estate Planning
  •  Debt Management

CFEd® Certification
 
To be certified as a CFEd®, an individual must complete the Heartland Institute’s required training and successfully pass the qualifying exam which covers the following areas:
 
Financial Planning Focus
  •  Goal Planning
  •  Cash Flow Planning
  •  Risk Management Planning
  •  Debt Management
  •  Investment Planning
  •  Retirement Planning
  •  Income Tax Planning
  •  Estate Planning

 Adult Learning Focus

  • Financial Literacy Education
  • Workplace and Community Financial Education
  • Communicating Financial Education to Adults
  • Communication and the Instructor/Leader
  • The Adult Learning Process
  • Twelve Principles of Adult Learning
  • Motivation and Adult Learners
  • Promoting Financial Literacy Education

The study guide may be printed from the website. Applicants will be required to successfully complete a closed-book, proctored exam. A CFEd® may then educate others through formal classes, individual training sessions or simply by imparting important information when working with clients.
 



To download the CFEd® application, Click here.
 
 
 
              Already applied? Click here for access to the course materials.
    
CFEd® Designation Program Requirements
  • Minimum of 3 years experience in financial services or related industries, as well as experience in teaching or training of adult learners
  • Successfully completing the CFEd® curriculum and passing certification exam
  • Annual continuing education requirements
  • Annual renewal fee

Renewal Requirements
  • Twelve hours of approved continuing education: acceptable courses include subject topics addressing the area of financial planning, including (but not necessarily limited to) the planning process, risk management, debt management, cash flow management, investment planning, tax planning, retirement planning, business planning, employee benefits, planned giving, estate planning and strategies, ethics, etc. State-approved continuing education for licensing renewal purposes counts toward the continuing education requirement.
  • Two hours of the twelve hours must include a review of instructor issues relative to teaching financial wellness to adult learners.
  • Two hours of instructor ethics and updated material.

Curriculum

  1.       The CFEd®  Program
  2.       Total Life Planning – The Process of Financial Wellness
  3.       The National Movement for Financial Literacy
  4.       Understanding Adult Learners
  5.       Adult Learning Strategies
  6.       Becoming an Effective Instructor of Adult Learners
  7.       Debt Management through Life’s Transitions
  8.       Health, Disability, Long-Term Care, Property/Casualty and Auto Insurance
  9.       Life Insurance and Risk Management
10.       Investment Essentials: Choices and Strategies
11.       Retirement Plans
12.       Tax  Planning 
13.       Estate Planning
14.       Quality Financial Programs
15.       The Adult Learning Environment
 
 
Cost of the CFEd® Program
 
  • Please contact HIFE for cost of the program*
       
            *The CFEd® course fee is Non-Refundable

 
The following textbooks are used for the course:

 
*This Text book may be ordered directly from the publisher by clicking on the link above

 

 

 

 

Delivering Financial Literacy Instruction to Adults
*For more information or to order this Text book please send an email to orders@hife-usa.org or call HIFE at (888) 895-1479



 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                        
©2010 Heartland Institute of Financial Education. All rights reserved.