Enhanced Financial Counseling
Certification Program (FiCEP)
The Tennessee League offers a unique opportunity to train staff to become Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors. The five-month self-paced program includes a component that guides staff on the best skills counselors can use to help members better manage their finances, grow the credit union and enhance the bottom line.
FiCEP, the Enhanced Financial Counseling Certification self-study program, enables all credit union staff to become more confident in helping members build a stronger financial future. Designed for credit union staff working in all aspects of member services, including; financial counseling, collections, call center, community relations, loan departments, or any other staff members committed to helping members improve their financial well-being.
Modeled after the CUNA Certified Financial Counselor Schools, each participant who completes and passes the proctored exam is granted the Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) designation and is ready to help members reach their financial goals.
The Enhanced FiCEP curriculum includes:
- FiCEP official textbook, including 33 chapters to be read at the student’s pace before webinar viewing
- Access to a specially designated FiCEP portal with webinars and study guides
- Tutorial webinars to recap and highlight course material
- Comprehensive study guides with answer keys to accompany each webinar
- Exam prep webinar
- Instructor-led training, which covers role play, mind mapping, program implementation, and idea sharing
- Take-away tool kit including budget spreadsheets, spending plans, tracking methods, and more
- Proctored exam after the program
Program Components
The program covers the following topics:
- Introduction to Financial Counseling
- Financial Counseling Essentials
- Special Issues in Financial Counseling
- Using Communication Skills During Financial Counseling
- Taxes, Insurance, and Investments
- Controlling Living Expenses
- Money, Attitudes, and Behaviors
- Retirement and Personal Financial Preparedness
Recertification
If you earned your Certified Financial Counselor designation three or more years ago, you are encouraged to complete continuing education to maintain your designation. Register to attend CUNA’s School or self-study by purchasing the latest version of the FiCEP book.
2024 FiCEP Study Schedule
| Week 1 | Module One: Chapters 1 – 4 | Financial attitudes, counseling essentials, and member data. |
| Week 2 | Module Two: Chapters 5 - 9 | Exploring solutions, developing plans, building savings, overcoming member objections, and counseling families. |
| Week 3 | Module Three: Chapters 10 - 14 | Self-employment, creditors, collectors, garnishments, coaching members, conversation skills, and different types of debt. |
| Week 4 | Module Four: Chapters 15 - 20 | Controlling living expenses, consolidation loans, financing higher education, repossessions, evictions, foreclosures, and bankruptcy. |
| Week 5 | Module Five: Chapters 21 - 25 | Identity theft, elder fraud, retirement planning, financial planning before death, and referring specialized resources based on need |
| Week 6 | Module Six: Chapters 26 - 28 | Taxes, insurance, and investments. |
| Week 7 | Module Seven: Chapters 29 - 30 | Member's addictions, and resources for military veterans and their families. |
| Week 8 | Module Eight: Chapters 31 - 33 | Developing your credit union's financial education program for members as well as internal staff, and tracking, measuring, and reporting concepts for your program. |
| Week 9 | Exam Review: 9:30 - 10:30 am est Break: 10:30 - 10:45 am est Proctored Exam: 10:45 - 12:45 pm est |
| Week 10 | Next Steps Training | This virtual half-day training will walk you through what to do now that you're a certified financial counselor. |