AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach specialist Carol Huneycutt Ehlers has been designated a Certified Housing Counselor by the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education. This is her second national mark of excellence from the association.
Ehlers completed the association’s national exam and 1,500 hours of applied experience in financial counseling to achieve the Certified Housing Counselor designation. This represents the highest standards of excellence in the field of financial counseling and education. To earn the designation, Ehlers completed comprehensive examinations on personal finance, financial counseling and housing issues, requiring her to maintain the most current knowledge in the field of personal finance and housing issues through continuing education.
In 2017, Ehlers was certified as an Accredited Financial Counselor.
Ehlers, of Storm Lake, is a human sciences specialist in family finance. She serves Audubon, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Cherokee, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie, Ida, Pocahontas, Sac and Shelby counties.
“This recognition and achievement enhances the value of family finance educational opportunities available from ISU Extension and Outreach,” said Ehlers. “The Certified Housing Counselor and Accredited Financial Counselor designations set our education apart from other programs in northwest Iowa.”
The financial counseling and planning program that Ehlers completed prepares educators to work with individuals and families to help them improve their abilities to plan and meet financial goals and make financial decisions.
The Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education’s national program trains professionals to guide clients through a holistic counseling framework of life cycle financial education. This allows personal finance professionals to provide a high-level, tailored approach based on the needs of each client to effectively analyze and create lasting financial behavior change.
Ehlers has been a human sciences specialist in family finance with ISU Extension and Outreach since August 2015. Previously she served as a 4-H youth field specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, a 4-H agent with Kansas State University Extension Service, and a supervisor and customer activities adviser with Kansas Power and Light Company, Manhattan, Kan.
According to the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, a growing number of financial industry positions, as well as financial counseling and advising positions for the military branches, are requiring financial counselors to have accredited financial counseling designations.