Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education

Since 2006, the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship has
helped qualifying military spouses earn the Accredited Financial
Counselor® (AFC®) certification at no cost to them. Funded by the
FINRA Investor Education Foundation and administered by the
Association for Financial Counseling, Planning, and Education®
(AFCPE®), the Fellowship was created to address two persistent
challenges facing military families: financial stress associated with
frequent moves and deployments, and chronic underemployment
among spouses seeking portable, meaningful careers.
The Fellowship equips military spouses with the training, support, and
opportunities needed to earn the AFC certification while serving their
communities and advancing their own professional goals. Fellows
also gain access to a robust support network, including the Society
of The Fellowship equips military spouses with the training, support,
and opportunities needed to earn the AFC certification while serving
their communities and advancing their own professional goals.
Fellows also gain access to an active alumni network and volunteer
regional ambassadors who provide mentorship, foster leadership, and
strengthen connections across military communities.
Since its inception, 743 Fellows have earned the AFC designation,
delivering financial education and counseling to more than 288,000
military families. Many have gone on to build lasting careers
supporting military households worldwide, reinforcing the Fellowship’s
mission of pairing career mobility for spouses with stronger financial
readiness for the communities they serve.