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Helping Organizations Create Consumer
Financial Education Programs That Work

The Institute for Socio-Financial Studies (ISFS) is an independent  non-profit organization that conducts feasibility, benchmarking, strategic development, and evaluation studies of consumer financial education programs. 

ISFS takes a uniquely cross-disciplinary research approach that illuminates the socio-financial factors influencing consumer financial decision-making in today's changing marketplace. 

Armed with this information, organizations and professionals can create counseling, education, and planning activities that benefit their companies, clients, and employees. 

For more information about how ISFS can serve your organization, contact ISFS Director  Lois A. Vitt

NEFE Awards ISFS Grant to Study Social Influences
on Consumer Financial Decisions

Learn more ...

Evaluation of
Personal Financial Risk Management (PFRM)

A program created under a
MARMC personal financial education initiative

MARMC cover Prepared for:
Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC)
United States Navy Norfolk, VA

ISFS recently evaluated the Personal Financial Risk Management Program currently being used by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) command of the U. S. Navy in Norfolk, VA. The Program trains mid-level petty officers in the basics of financial literacy. The content for the evaluation was gathered during a 2 1/2 day "hands on" workshop conducted by MARMC in March, 2006 and a follow-up focus group held with the participants in June, 2006.


 
Goodbye to Complacency
Financial Literacy Education in the U.S. 2000-2005
Co-Published by ISFS and AARP

Goodbye to Complacency is an update to Personal Finance and the Rush to Competence. The update was commissioned and prepared for the AARP. The report was presented at the 2005 US-UK Dialogue on Pensions, July 19-21, 2005, Washington, DC, United States. The full report is not available as a bound text, but may be downloaded from this site.

To view the Executive Summary, click here...   
Download Report in PDF format


10 Secrets to Successful Home Buying and Selling Released

ISFS Founding Director, Dr. Lois A. Vitt, recently authored a book on the sociological and psychological factors that drive the real estate decision-making process. The book is published by Prentice Hall / Pearson Education, and has been well received, generating positive comments similar to these by Robert Bruss, nationally syndicated columnist.

"This unusual home-buying and selling book is filled with psychological and philosophical housing considerations most books on this topic overlook. On my scale of one to 10, this one-of-a-kind book rates a solid 10."

"If you are undecided about buying or selling a home, 10 Secrets to Successful Home Buying and Selling by Lois A. Vitt can help you get in touch with your inner feelings about whether or not to buy or sell. This is an unusual book because it focuses on the "why" rather than "how to" like most home sales books."

"The book's best section, included in the chapter titled "Relationship, Natural and Other Disasters," is about the often-emotional housing effect of a divorce or other housing loss."

To learn more about the book and read the whole review, visit RealtyStudies.com...   


Selected Articles and Papers by ISFS Personnel

Health Alert!
by Dr. Jurg K. Siegenthaler, Consulting Research Director, ISFS
Published on SwissInfo.ch website
 
View Article
Consumers’ Financial Decisions and the Psychology of Values
by Dr. Vitt — Published in Journal of Financial Service Professionals
 
View Article
Consumer Health Care Finances and Education: Matters of Values
An Issue Brief Published by Employee Benefit Research Institute
 
View Executive Summary
Download Document

Personal Finance and the Rush to Competence:
Financial Literacy Education in the U.S.

A Study Funded by the Fannie Mae Foundation
View  Executive Summary
View  Complete Document


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