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LOCAL CONTACT: Georgia Hussey, Chair Financial Planning Day 2012, FPA of OR & SW Washington
Cell: 503-810-1462 Email: georgia.hussey@wellsfargoadvisors.com
Following the Success of Financial Planning Day, Local FPA to Expand Outreach in 2013
Portland, OR, Oct. 25, 2010– Despite beautiful fall weather, football kick-offs and baseball playoffs, more than 100 Portland-area residents made their way downtown to talk about their most pressing financial concerns. Financial Planning Day, held Oct. 6, is an annual event hosted by the city of Portland, bringing the public together with volunteer experts from the local chapter of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) for one-on-one financial counseling and advice.
Financial planners met individually with people to discuss debt relief, retirement planning, investment strategies, income taxes, budgeting, insurance, mortgages and foreclosures. The advice was offered with no-strings attached. “It is important for the financial planning industry as a whole to reach out to the public through pro bono service,” said Jennifer de Thomas, a Certified Financial Planner who volunteered her services at the event. “The cost of good financial advice can be a barrier for the average family, and our local FPA is addressing this through greater outreach that we are going to continue to expand next year.”
Not only did the FPA members provide more than 96 hours of service, volunteers from SHIBA, Innovative Changes, and credit counselors also participated in the event to provide Medicare counseling and education resources directly to the public.
The event was part of an initiative created by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Financial Planning Association, Foundation for Financial Planning, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The collaboration is a first-of-its kind effort involving city governments and thousands of financial planners nationwide united in an effort to provide free financial education and programming to communities throughout the U.S. A major sponsor of this year’s effort was provided by Wells Fargo Advisors.
Beginning next spring, more free clinics and events, sponsored and organized by the Oregon and SW Washington Financial Planning Association (FPA) along with community partners will be held throughout in 2013. Building on a tradition of service, the FPA believes they will be instrumental in building a more educated, healthy and prosperous Portland.
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Other Media Contacts for National Financial Planning Days Initiative
CFP Board: Daniel F. Drummond – 202.379.2252 or ddrummond@CFPBoard.org
FPA: Lynn Brackpool – 303.867.7173 or Lynn.Brackpool@FPAnet.org
Foundation for Financial Planning: Jim Peniston - 770.938.1110 or Jim.Peniston@foundation-finplan.org
U.S. Conference of Mayors: Elena Temple – 202.861.6719 or etemple@usmayors.org
About CFP Board
The mission of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards® (CFP Board) is to benefit the public by granting the CFP® certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for personal financial planning. The Board of Directors, in furthering CFP Board’s mission, acts on behalf of the public, CFP® certificants and other stakeholders. CFP Board owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements. CFP Board currently authorizes more than 62,000 individuals to use these marks in the United States. For more about CFP Board, visit www.CFP.net or call 800-487-1497.
About FPA
The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) is the leadership and advocacy organization connecting those who need, support and deliver professional financial planning. FPA is the largest membership organization for personal financial planning experts in the U.S. and includes professionals from all backgrounds and business models. FPA members adhere to the highest standards of professional competence, ethical conduct and clear, complete disclosure to those they serve. Based in Denver, Colo., FPA works in alliance with academic leaders, legislative and regulatory bodies, financial services firms and consumer interest organizations. For more information about FPA, visit www.FPAnet.org or call 800.322.4237. For information on the Oregon Chapter, visit www.fpa-or.org.
About Foundation for Financial Planning
The mission of the Foundation for Financial Planning is to help people take control of their financial lives by connecting the financial planning community with people in need. The Foundation funds programs that provide pro bono financial planning, and connect volunteers through the involvement of the financial planning and services community. The Foundation strives to help people who are underserved by the market, in need of financial guidance, or in a financial crisis. The Foundation aims to improve the lives of all Americans through access to pro bono financial planning and financial life skills education to provide those at all socio-economic levels with the knowledge to control their financial lives and opportunities to obtain unbiased financial advice in time of crisis and disaster. For more information about the Foundation for Financial Planning, visit www.foundation-finplan.org.
About The U.S. Conference of Mayors
The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,204 such cities in the country today. Each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. More information about the Conference is available at www.usmayors.org.
About SHIBA
The Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA) produces the guide. SHIBA is administered by the state and funded by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It offers free and unbiased one-on-one counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries and their families who assist them. SHIBA counselors help people review, compare, and enroll in Medicare insurance plans.
The state SHIBA office in Salem contracts with 22 organizations throughout the state to provide local Medicare counseling through trained volunteers. Volunteers are available in 32 of Oregon's 36 counties. For questions call 800-722-4134.
About Innovative Changes
Innovative Changes helps low-income individuals and families, and those who otherwise lack adequate access to capital and/or financial services, manage short-term financial needs in order to achieve and maintain household stability. Innovative Changes (IC$) offers financial education, responsible small-dollar consumer loans, credit building techniques and asset building opportunities. For more information, see http://www.innovativechanges.org/.