If you are a financial advisor new to this program

This section of our Web site provides information on how to work with needy consumers who are facing many types of financial challenges. It also includes materials (worksheets, checklists, etc.) specific to the different situations of people in need. To access this information, you must belong to one of the membership organizations cosponsoring the Project for Financial Independence. If you already belong to one of these groups, then you may want to learn more about the purpose of the pro bono program. The other links on this page also offer helpful information about pro bono financial planning. Once you have reviewed all of this material, follow the steps below to initiate your volunteer activity.

If You Are Interested in Volunteering

1. Familiarize yourself with the guidelines for working with pro bono clients. These include:

An explicit agreement not to sell services or products to pro bono clients, and an implicit agreement not to use pro bono activities as a method of generating prospect leads.
An understanding that the client is almost always, first and foremost, a client of a community or charitable organization. Your role, as a pro bono financial advisor, is to serve with the charitable organization as a partner who specializes in providing financial advice to qualified clients.
A willingness to volunteer your time and expertise at no cost to a pro bono client or a community/charitable organization.
A readiness to accept that any compliance or liability issues resulting from your pro bono activities are your sole responsibility.
An attitude that you will treat pro bono clients with the same degree of professionalism and expertise that you apply to your own personal business clients.

2. Contact one of the pro bono sponsoring organizations to which you belong; your organization will then contact you with specific information on how to proceed. Follow their steps to register as a volunteer. In general, you will need to be:

A member in good standing of the organization.
Willing to donate your time and services at no cost to a community or charitable organization for its clients' benefit.
Flexible in working within the pro bono guidelines of both your employer and the charitable organization involved.

To Learn More

Find answers to frequently asked questions about pro bono financial planning in our FAQs.

Read about how your colleagues are helping members of the public in these examples of pro bono work being conducted by other financial advisors.

If You Are Already Registered

To access the resource section for volunteer financial advisors, click here to login. This section of the Web site works best with Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator™.