CUNA Certified Financial Counselor School: Advanced
Topics & Objectives

Please note that the Topics/Objectives listed below are subject to change.

Bankruptcy & Legal Ramifications

• Review and understand bankruptcy as it relates to alternatives
• Compare and contrast the differences between a Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy
• Review the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) and its impact on bankruptcy filings, consumers, and creditors

Case Studies & Team Presentations

• Understand how deep listening is essential while interviewing troubled members
• Review financial counseling cases by type, identifying key features in each type that guide your choice of intervention
• Discuss and analyze case studies of members’ financial difficulties and prepare a team presentation that outlines the best solutions to help the member

Challenges & Best Practice Discussions

• Network with other credit union professionals on challenges faced as a financial counselor
• Describe and discuss best practices in credit union financial counseling

Critical Counseling

• Learn how different levels of questions can lead to a more effective counseling session
• Conduct role-playing to enforce these questioning techniques
• Compare and contrast empathy versus sympathy to enhance trust and communication in your counseling sessions

Delinquency Counseling

• Review the options that are available when a member is facing foreclosure
• Determine when one foreclosure prevention option may be better than another
• Understand a sample foreclosure timeline
• Learn methods to help a member prevent foreclosure
• Discuss predatory lending as it relates to mortgage lending

Delinquent Taxes

• Review the steps a member should take when back taxes are owed
• Discuss how to create a spending plan that includes paying back taxes and current taxes
• Explore resources that are available at the state and federal level to pay back taxes

Developing Relationships in the Community

• Evaluate types of community organizations to target
• Determine how to target, who to contact, and what to say to build relationships with community resources
• Explore activities that can be conducted for community organizations

Leadership for the Financial Counselor

• Establish the core traits a leader should demonstrate
• Understand the importance of using an open communication style
• Learn how to build trust and respect with your direct reports
• Distinguish the difference between managing and leading

Presentation Skills

• Establish the key steps to learning about your audience
• Learn how to write and give a good presentation
• Discuss how to say more in less time
• Learn how to use vivid language and statistics that will leave a lasting impression

Reverse Mortgages

• Discuss the ways in which members can use a reverse mortgage as a solution to different financial situations
• Identify the concerns that seniors have about reverse mortgages
• Learn the reverse mortgage process
• Understand government-backed programs

Student Loans

• Examine solutions for members who are behind on student loan payments
• Review the consequences of not making arrangements with student loan lenders
• Learn how members can set goals and create a spending plan for use on and off campus
• Examine sources available for college funding, learn how to calculate the cost, and evaluate methods to determine the best college funding source

Only participants who are getting their Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) recertification need to attend on Friday, April 4, 2008.

For more program content information or to request a brochure call 800-356-9655, ext. 4249, or email elearning@cuna.coop. For registration questions, call 800-356-9655, ext.4400 or e-mail reginfo@cuna.coop.