AFCPE

What AFCPE does

AFCPE (Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education) is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, that has set professional standards for financial counselors, coaches, and educators for over 30 years. The organization's core product is the NCCA-accredited Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) certification, which gates eligibility through an education component, examination (delivered at 300+ nationwide proctored centers), experience hours, and annual maintenance fees. Around the credential, AFCPE operates a multi-revenue ecosystem spanning paid membership tiers ($50-$175/year), specialty education courses (Money Management Essentials, Military Essentials 2nd ed. at $399 each), the annual three-day Symposium (700-1,100 attendees, 15 CEUs), peer-reviewed research via the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning (JFCP), philanthropic programming through the Strategic Impact Fund, and the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship covering full AFC certification costs for qualifying military spouses.

The technology stack is functional rather than differentiated: a myAFCPE portal for certification, membership, CEU submission, and donations; the AFC® Learning System for self-paced exam preparation; and an education hub at education.afcpe.org. There is no proprietary AI, no public API, and no disclosed SDKs. Distribution combines direct web enrollment with channel partners — 300+ university Registered Education Programs, approved AFC Independent Trainers, an enterprise group membership tier, and a Find an AFC consumer directory — making AFCPE operate more as a credentialing standards body and community platform than as a venture-scale technology vendor.

AFCPE generates revenue primarily through one-time certification and exam fees, recurring membership dues, recurring and à-la-carte education program fees, annual Symposium registrations, exhibit and sponsorship income, and donations/grants. Customer segments span individual professionals (counselors, educators, coaches, military spouses), nonprofit and community-development organizations (Compass Working Capital, Southern Bancorp, United Way of Massachusetts Bay/Midas Collaborative), financial institutions, military and government employers, and educational institutions. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and staffed by a small team of 11-50, with no parent company, subsidiaries, or disclosed external funding.

Name

AFCPE

Legal name

Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education

Website

https://afcpe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AFCPE is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the NCCA-accredited Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) certification, alongside membership, specialty education, an annual Symposium, and a research journal, serving financial counseling professionals, nonprofit organizations, military spouses, and universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Westerville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from professional, emeritus, and student members provide recurring revenue. Professional membership is $175/year, Emeritus $100/year, Student $50/year.
2. Certification and Exam Fees: Revenue from AFC certification exams ($750 standard, $375 student rate with 50% discount), annual certification fees ($85), and candidate registration fees ($75).
3. Education and Training Programs: Revenue from educational courses including Money Management Essentials and Military Essentials 2nd ed. ($399). Independent trainer application fees ($500 one-time) and annual renewal fees ($250).
4. Symposium and Events: Registration fees for the annual Symposium (Member: $599, Student: $325; Standard: $749/$375), exhibiting fees ($2,500-$2,600), and sponsorship revenue.
5. Grants and Donations: Strategic Impact Fund receives donations and grants to support scholarships, research, and community programs. The Mary O'Neill Mini Grant ($5,000) is funded through a restricted donation by Dr. Barbara O'Neill.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AFCPE is a national nonprofit professional organization that delivers the NCCA-accredited Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC) certification, complementary education courses (Money Management Essentials, Military Essentials 2nd ed.), an AFC Learning System for exam preparation, membership tiers, continuing education (CEU) programs, the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, and an annual Symposium serving financial counselors, coaches, and educators.

Product overview

AFCPE operates as a unified platform and professional organization offering the AFC® (Accredited Financial Counselor) certification as its core product, supported by complementary educational programs and professional development services. The product portfolio centers on the AFC® Certification and AFC® Learning System for exam preparation, supplemented by essentials courses including Money Management Essentials (MME) and Military Essentials 2nd ed. The organization provides the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship for military spouses, publishes the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning (JFCP), produces the Real Money Real Experts Podcast, and hosts the annual AFCPE Symposium. Additional services include CEU programs, membership tiers, awards recognition, and grant funding (Mary O'Neill Mini Grant, Insight to Impact Initiative). Together, these offerings form an integrated ecosystem supporting financial counseling professionals from education through certification and ongoing career development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AFC (Accredited Financial Counselor): NCCA-accredited certification for financial counseling professionals
• JFCP (Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning)
• Real Money, Real Experts
• Money Management Essentials (MME)
• Military Essentials 2nd ed.
• Strategic Impact Fund
• FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship
• Mary O'Neill Mini Grant
• Insight to Impact Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,209 certified professionals working across nonprofit, banking, private practice, higher education, military, and government sectors
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FINRA Investor Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor strategic partner providing funding for the Military Spouse Fellowship program covering full AFC certification costs for qualifying military spouses. Partnership in development of Military Essentials 2nd ed. course. FINRA Foundation sponsors Symposium and provides additional resources for military financial educators.
• National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of AFCPE Symposium (Gold Sponsor). Provides $100 AFC scholarships for people of color through Strategic Impact Fund. Co-sponsors the Outstanding Research to Practice Award. Additional educational partnerships.
• Financial Planning Association (FPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly partnership delivering free webinars exclusive to AFCPE members (FPA Connect). Webinars are eligible for CEUs and/or Experience Hours. Joint marketing and professional development collaboration.
• FINRA Investor Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped Military Essentials 2nd ed. course in partnership. Foundation provides free unbiased resources like saveandinvest.org/military for military personnel and families. Collaborates with Department of Defense Financial Readiness Campaign.
• Marriott Bethesda NorthminorOthersOfficial hotel venue for 2026 AFCPE Symposium. Provides discounted attendee rates ($239/night). Located in Bethesda, MD for November 17-19, 2026 event.
• Canopy by Hilton Washington DC Bethesda NorthminorOthersAlternative hotel venue for 2026 AFCPE Symposium with discounted attendee rates ($209/night).
• AFC Independent TrainerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved independent trainers deliver AFC certification curriculum across the country. Trainers operate independently and are listed in AFC Independent Trainer Directory for student referrals.
• Registered Education Programs (Universities/Colleges)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor300+ universities and colleges offer AFC-aligned coursework. Students receive 50% exam discount, $50/year membership, and automatic meeting of educational requirements for certification.
• Various 2025 Symposium Exhibitors and SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganizations including FINRA Foundation, NEFE (Gold Sponsors), Zeiders (Silver Sponsor), and 22 exhibitors including Magellan Federal, eMoney, Financial Planning Association, Foundation for Financial Planning, and others supporting Symposium.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE): NEFE is a nonprofit focused on financial education research, programs, and resources for the public, directly comparable to AFCPE's mission of advancing financial counseling and education. They co-sponsor AFCPE's Symposium and the Outstanding Research to Practice Award, and fund scholarships, demonstrating their deeply overlapping scope.
• Financial Planning Association (FPA): FPA is the leading membership organization for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals and those in the financial planning profession, mirroring AFCPE's role as a membership body for financial counselors. The two organizations partner on monthly CEU webinars (FPA Connect) and share overlapping professional development missions.
• International Association of Registered Financial Consultants (IARFC): IARFC administers the Registered Financial Consultant (RFC®) designation, a financial advisor credential, operating as a comparable specialty credentialing body to AFCPE. Both organizations serve financial professionals seeking credentials, continuing education, and a professional community.
• Foundation for Financial Planning: The Foundation for Financial Planning is a nonprofit that connects CFP® professionals with pro bono financial planning for vulnerable populations, sharing AFCPE's mission of expanding access to financial guidance through credentialed professionals. Both are 501(c)(3) mission-driven organizations exhibiting at the AFCPE Symposium.
• CFP Board (Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards): The CFP Board is the premier credentialing body for financial planners, certifying candidates through the CFP® designation, very similar to how AFCPE certifies financial counselors through the AFC® credential. Both organizations operate accreditation-driven certification programs, maintain professional directories, and serve as the standards-setters for their respective financial professions.
• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA): NAPFA is a membership organization for fee-only financial advisors, comparable to AFCPE as a professional association serving financial practitioners. Both organizations advocate for high standards, provide member education, and serve as community anchors in the personal finance profession.
• The American College of Financial Services: The American College of Financial Services is a nonprofit educational institution granting professional designations (CLU®, ChFC®, CFP®) in financial services, closely comparable to AFCPE's certification and education portfolio. Both organizations offer accredited financial services credentials and continuing education for practitioners.

Emerging players

• Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF): NGPF is a nonprofit providing free personal finance curriculum to high school teachers and students, an adjacent player expanding the upstream pipeline of financially literate individuals. NGPF's growing influence on financial education could either feed AFCPE's downstream professional pipeline or partially substitute for parts of the financial counselor training market.

Others

• Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE): ICE is the organization behind the NCCA accreditation standards that AFCPE's AFC® certification holds. As the meta-credentialing body, ICE indirectly shapes AFCPE's standards, governance requirements, and the competitive positioning of NCCA-accredited versus non-accredited financial counselor credentials.
• FINRA Investor Education Foundation: The FINRA Foundation funds and partners with AFCPE on the Military Spouse Fellowship, Military Essentials course, and Symposium sponsorship. While not a direct credentialing peer, it is a strategic funding partner and ecosystem participant whose priorities materially shape AFCPE's military segment and revenue mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeafcpe.org/real-money-real-experts-podcast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afcpe
• Xx.com/AFCPE
• Facebookfacebook.com/AFCPE

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AFCPE