Use the experiences that you’ve had in your own life to help you empathize with your clients and
understand where they’re coming from. When they feel that you respect them and that they can
trust you, they will be more willing to open up and discuss financial topics that might otherwise
make them feel uncomfortable.
When should I bring up money topics?
The right time to bring up money topics will depend on the people that you work with and your
relationship with them. For example, the needs of people transitioning from a shelter into
permanent housing are very different from the needs of people who own their own homes and
are at risk of foreclosure. Likewise, discussing money topics will vary depending on how much
contact you have with your clients. A conversation about financial topics with a client you see
once a year will be very different than the discussion you’ll have if you see him or her weekly or
monthly. Like every other intervention, you need to balance meeting clients where they are with
the expectations of your program.
If you are screening someone for benefits, follow your organization’s protocol closely when it
comes to financial questions so that clients don’t feel like you are trying to find out more
information than is required for screening them. In this case, talking about financial
empowerment at the wrong time could undermine their trust in you. Instead, you may use this
opportunity to build trust by suggesting resources they may qualify for such as free tax filing
assistance or claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit as a way to bring more money into the
household.
Clients may also share problems they’re having with a financial product or service provider. As
you listen to the challenges they’re facing and how they have tried to resolve the problem, if
appropriate, you can offer to help them submit a complaint to the CFPB.