MISSION STATEMENT
The American Financial Services Association (www.afsaonline.org) is the national trade association for the consumer credit industry, protecting access to credit and consumer choice. The Association encourages and maintains ethical business practices and supports financial education for consumers of all ages.
MAJOR AFSA ACTIVITIES
Federal Government Affairs – Formulates and actively advocates industry positions in legislative, regulatory and judicial settings. It lobbies both Congress and the regulatory agencies to achieve industry’s goals.
State Government Affairs – Comprises four subcommittees: auto finance, cards, mortgage lending and personal loans. The SGA Committee meets to work on issues of common interest, share political intelligence, and develop resources for current and emerging issues.
Legal Affairs – Deals with all aspects of the legal environment facing the industry, including legislative issues, regulatory matters, and litigation. The Law Committee is divided into five subcommittees: Mortgage Lending, Credit Cards, Personal Loans, Auto Finance and Leasing, and Emerging Issues.
Public Affairs – Serves as the industry’s voice to the public and informs media of current industry developments and issues.
Committees of Professional Interest – Available for executives who work in a variety of professional positions within the industry to share information and participate in presentations on emerging issues in their professional interest area.
Sections and Divisions – A major benefit of corporate membership in AFSA is the opportunity to involve senior management in the appropriate sections and divisions (Card, ILC, Independents, Mortgage Lending and Vehicle Finance) that relate to individual company's needs and interests. Many of these groups are the driving forces for major AFSA initiatives and activities.
AFSA EDUCATION FOUNDATION
AFSA Education Foundation (www.afsaef.org) is AFSA’s affiliated organization with the mission of heightening consumers’ awareness of personal financial responsibility. AFSAEF helps consumers realize the benefits of responsible money management, understand the credit process and seek help if credit problems occur. As a by-product of the research sponsored by the foundation, AFSA gains invaluable data for legislative issues and other concerns as they surface. MoneySKILL® (www.moneyskill.org), a free personal finance course, is a highly interactive, reality-based Internet curriculum designed to educate students to make informed financial decisions. The course consists of 34 “How To" modules on income, money management, spending and credit, and saving and investing. More than 50,000 students in all 50 states and several countries have registered to use MoneySKILL®.
