Personal Finance Presenter

Looking for an energetic and compelling speaker for your upcoming webinar, conference, meeting, or event?

Todd Christensen and his team of financial educators have a passion for improving the lives of others and are ready to share their extensive financial knowledge tailored to any audience in most any setting. Read on to learn more about their mission and in what ways their workshops can benefit you.

personal finance speaker
Todd R. Christensen has made a life of educating and helping others live debt free. Contact us to schedule him for an event.

Here's My Commitment

What You Can Expect from Me as a Speaker

I will give you my very best effort to make your event a success and help you reach the objectives you’ve set. Your success is how I measure my success.

  • Prompt, professional replies to your online inquiries and your phone calls and email messages.

  • A virtual or phone consultation with me and/or a member of my team prior to your event, in order to put together the best program for your audience.

  • A customized presentation prepared and delivered (typically 60 minutes in length but available between 15 and 90 minutes) with energy and professionalism in order to achieve the objectives you’ve identified for your event.

  • A virtual or telephone debriefing after the event with myself or one of my team members, to address follow-up requests and to ensure your event expectations were met.

Available Topics

Here’s a sampling of the possible presentation topics. Remember, if you don’t find what you are looking for, we’d be happy to customize your workshop content, just ask!

1. Everyday Money for Everyday People
Great for the general audience, from teens to seniors, beginners to the rest of the 60% of Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck (or worse). This presentation addresses Values, Generosity, Expense Planning, Credit, Debt, and Savings. By the way, HOW do you move your household budget from Friend to Frenemy? And WHY does good credit still matter, even if you’re not buying a new home anytime soon.

2. Everyday Money for Everyday Zombies
Like our Everyday Money for Everyday People presentation, but for Zombies. Get it? Financial Zombies, like the rest of the undead, wander about seeking only to consume, without apparent reason or rationale, and are never satisfied. But is it possible to bring one back from the financial undead? There is always hope!

3. Credit and the Interest Insomniac
Credit is one of the least understood topics related to personal finance, yet still, one on which we tend to fixate as a society. This enlightening presentation reduces this complex topic to a single word while also providing details of what to look for on your credit report and what the most influential factors are of a credit score.

 

personal finance speaker
Todd teaching people how to access their free credit report at a recent teachers conference.

4. Young and Financially Empowered: Must-Have Financial Lessons for Those in Their 20s
From student loans and credit card debt to pawn loans and rent-to-own contracts, young adults deal with financial challenges that, while not unique to their demographic, can affect their generation in uniquely crushing ways. This presentation addresses financial issues that are very specific for young adults and offers ideas for preventing and addressing financial problems. By helping young people to recognize signs of impending financial troubles, grasp the consequences of excessive debt, and understand their options for dealing with debt, this presentation empowers the twenty-something crowd to build a strong foundation for wise financial decisions for the rest of their lives.

 

5. Who Wants to Live Like a Millionaire? Monkey See or Monkey Do?
A self-awareness workshop and activity to help participants connect their opinions and attitudes to their financial choices and corresponding consequences. Let’s busts some millionaire myths, confirm some basic beliefs, and commit to healthy financial behaviors.

 

6. Avalanches, Cascades, Landslides, and Snowballs. Do It Yourself Debt Relief Options
Let’s have a lively and practical discussion of four do-it-yourself debt repayment options: 1) The Debt Avalanche: Attacking debts in order of highest to lowest APR to save the most money and pay off soonest, 2) The Debt Cascade: Setting future monthly payments by your current monthly minimum payments for those not able to send additional cash, 3) The Debt Landslide: Attacking debts in order of newest to oldest to rebuild credit fastest, and 4) The Debt Snowball: Attacking debts in order of smallest to largest to generate continued motivation through small, early wins.

 

7. For Richer or for Poorer… but Hopefully for Richer: Newlywed Finances
Money is the single most common subject of arguments in marriage and can quickly end the honeymoon even for newlyweds. Forget the crystal punch bowls and the matching dishtowels, give your newlyweds the gift of a lifetime of financial teamwork and cohesion by sending them to this class.

 

8. Spending by Color
This fun and insightful workshop will begin with a brief 30-question self-evaluation of each of our own spending personalities (yes, most of us have multiple spending personalities, and that’s okay).
Together we’ll identify six major spending tendencies and motivations to which we may be susceptible. Each is assigned a color and discussed in depth. There’s not necessarily one color to which we should aspire over another. Rather, each color is a part of us throughout our lives. However, some colors do present greater enticements for overspending than do others.

 

9. What’s New the Year in Consumer Credit Reports and Scoring?
Your credit score can change each time it is generated. Changes are normal and expected. Changes in the credit rating system are also normal and should be expected. If your audience could use a refresher with an update on recent changes to credit reporting and credit scoring, this session is for you. From free Security Freezes to Experian’s 2019 Boost product, from changes in the FICO 9 and VantageScore 3.0 & 4.0 formulae to the types of data no longer listed on credit reports (e.g. judgments, tax liens), changes are afoot. Get up-to-date with this presentation.

See more presentations and access our webinars here.

What Others Are Saying About Todd’s Presentations

View Recommendations

Speaking Engagement Letters of Recommendation

USDA - F.X. O' Connor, Jr

AFCPE - Rebecca Wiggins

Financial Beginnings - Dr. Melody Bell

Education Fee Schedule

Online Library of Self-guided Courses

  • Pre-recorded Video Courses FREE
  • Interactive Activities FREE

Virtual Presentations

  • Scheduled-hour presentation* $495

    Discounts available*

In-Personal Presentations and Speaking Engagements

  • Per travel day (up to 4 hours of live engagements) $995

    Includes Travel, Lodging, and Meals Paid by Host

Recording of Virtual Presentations

  • Per half-hour $95

    Edited, co-branded, and electronically delivered

Everyday Money for Everyday People Book†

  • 1-10 copies $15.00
  • 11-100 copies $10.00
  • 101-500 copies $8.00
  • 500+ copies (custom Forward) $6.00

Housing Education Courses

  • See Separate Fee Schedule

* 50% for 501(C)3 Agencies, Nonprofit Schools, and Government Agencies
† Includes shipping within continental US

Book Todd to Present at Your Next Event

Personal Finance Presentation Request
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About Todd Christensen

As an Accredited Financial Counselor and author of Everyday Money for Everyday People, I have a decade of experience speaking as a personal finance expert for large and small groups.  I have facilitated over 1,000 presentations, classes, and workshops for tens of thousands of participants, keynoted conferences, led a score of conference breakout sessions, been interviewed for television shows, newspaper columns, and magazine articles, and have served in financial literacy leadership positions across the country.

Since 2004, I’ve served as Education Manager at Money Fit by DRS, Inc., a nationwide nonprofit credit counseling agency. As the Author of Everyday Money for Everyday People (2014), I also develop educational programs and produce materials that teach personal financial skills and responsibilities. I have served in executive, board, and committee leadership positions with the Idaho Jump$tart Coalition, the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, and the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. I also volunteer on the program coordinating committees with three affordable housing authorities. Additionally, I hold two Master’s degrees, including Master of International Management.

Whether speaking to large groups (such as to 600 women at the Smart Women Smart Money conference in Boise, ID in 2012, 2014 & 2018) the general session of annual conferences, keynoting commencements at schools or work training programs or facilitating classrooms and small business employee training meetings, I take great satisfaction and professional pride in inspiring others to make financial changes for the better in their lives. I have published articles and booklets addressing topics ranging from marriage and money to raising financially smart children, from recovering from bankruptcy to controlling holiday spending.

I also served as a volunteer Spanish and French language interpreter at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise, as an evaluator of the Pre-Professional Certification Test for the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, and have served frequently as a financial education awards judge for various conferences and associations. In Idaho, I also participated as the sole public member of the committee that developed the course standards for Idaho’s Mathematics of Personal Finance high school course. As an eagle scout myself, I have also served in multiple adult leadership positions in scouting.

Client Credit Report Authorization

You hereby authorize and instruct Debt Reduction Services, Inc. (DRS, dba Money Fit by DRS) and/or its assigned agents to:
  • Obtain and review your credit report, and
  • Request verifications of your income and rental history, and any other information deemed necessary for improving your housing situation (for example, verifying your annual property tax obligations and homeowner’s insurance fees)
Your credit report will be obtained from a credit reporting agency chosen by DRS. You understand and agree that DRS intends to use the credit report evaluate your financial readiness to purchase or rent a home and/or to engage in post-purchase counseling activities and not to grant credit. You understand you may ask any questions pertaining to your credit report. However, while DRS will review the information with you, the company is not able to furnish you with a copy of your credit profile. You hereby authorize DRS to share your information from your credit report and any information that you provided (including any computations and assessments produced) with the entities listed below to help DRS determine your viable financial options.
  • Banks
  • Counseling Agencies
  • Debt Collectors
  • Landlords
  • Lenders
  • Mortgage Servicers
  • Property Management Companies
  • Public Housing Authorities
  • Social Service Agencies
Entities such as mortgage lenders and/or counseling agencies may contact your DRS counselor to evaluate the options for which you may be eligible. In connection with such evaluation, you authorize the credit reporting and/or financial agencies to release information and cooperate with your DRS counselor. No information will be discussed about you with entities not directly involved in your efforts to improve your housing situation. You hereby authorize the release of your information to program monitoring organizations of DRS, including but not limited to, Federal, State, and nonprofit partners for program review, monitoring, auditing, research, and/or oversight purposes. In addition, you authorize DRS to have your credit report pulled two additional times to conduct program evaluations. You also agree to keep DRS informed of any changes in address, telephone number, job status, marital status, or other conditions which may affect your eligibility for a program you have applied for or a counseling service that you are seeking. Finally, you understand that you may revoke consent to these disclosures by notifying DRS in writing.

Client Privacy, Data Security, and Client Rights Policy

NOTE: This sheet is to inform new or returning clients about our services, records, fees, and limitations that may affect you as a consumer of our services. This form also discloses how we might release your information to other agencies and/or regulators. If you do not understand a statement, please ask a Debt Reduction Services (DRS) counselor for assistance.

Debt Reduction Services, Inc. (DRS) has put into place policies and procedures to protect the security and confidentiality of your nonpublic personal information. This notice explains our online information practices and how we use and maintain your information to conduct our financial education and credit counseling sessions and to fulfill information and question requests. This privacy policy complies with federal laws and regulations.

To provide our financial education and credit counseling services, we collect nonpublic personal information about you as follows: 1) Information we receive from you, 2) Information about your transactions with us or others, and 3) Information we receive from your creditors or a consumer reporting agency. We do not share this information with outside parties.

We use non-identifying and aggregate information to better design our website and services, but we do not disclose anything that could be used to identify you as an individual.

You hereby authorize DRS, when necessary, to share your nonpublic personal, financial, credit, and any information that you provided (including any computations and assessments produced) with the following entities in order to help DRS provide you with appropriate counseling or guide you to appropriate services: third parties such as government agencies, your lender(s), your creditor(s), and nonprofit housing-related and other financial agencies as permitted by law, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online. We limit access to your nonpublic personal information to our employees, contractors and agents who need such access to provide products or services to you or for other legitimate business purposes.

Debt Reduction Services, Inc. complies with the privacy requirements set forth in the HUD housing counseling agency handbook 7610.1 (05/2010), including the sections 2-2 Mc, 3-1 H(2), 3-3, 5-3 F, and Attachment A.5. At all times, we will comply with all additional laws and regulations to which we are subject regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of individually identifiable information.

  1. Services: DRS provides the following housing-related services: counseling that includes Homeless Assistance, Rental Topics, Pre-purchase/Homebuying, and Home Maintenance and Financial Management for Homeowners (Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase); Education courses that include Financial literacy (including home affordability, budgeting, and understanding use of credit), Predatory lending, loan scam or other fraud prevention, Fair housing, Rental topics, Pre-purchase homebuyer education, Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop (including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners), and other workshops not listed above.

Please refer to DebtReductionServices.org for details of our services.

  1. Limits: Our services are limited to our normal weekday business hours. We do not provide individual counseling or education services after hours or on weekends, although our education courses are available 24/7.
  2. Fees: We do not charge fees for our financial management counseling and education. However, if you use them, you may have to pay for our Debt Management Program, Student Loan Counseling, Bankruptcy Certificate Services or certain financial education courses (homebuyer education, rental topics, fair housing, predatory lending, and post-purchase-non-delinquency including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners).
  3. Records: We maintain records of the services you receive, including notes about your progress or other relevant information to your work with us. You have the right to access and view your records by making a request to your counselor.
  4. Confidentiality: We respect your privacy and offer our services in confidence with the understanding that we may share such information with auditors and government regulators. Certain laws or situations may also lead to disclosing confidential issues, such as those involving potential child abuse or neglect, threats to harm self or others, or court subpoenas.
  5. Refusal of Services: You have the right to refuse services without any penalty or loss.
  6. Disclosure of Policies and Practices: You will be provided our agency disclosure statement.
  7. Sharing of Information: Sometimes we will need to contact other agencies or we may need to share your information, including your records, with other agencies or with regulators. We will do this only if you sign this form that gives us permission except for limited reasons; please see # 5 above for examples of such situations.
  8. Other: You have the right to be treated with respect by our staff, and we expect the same from you in return. We encourage you to always ask questions if something is not clear. We also encouraged you to express your thoughts and advocate throughout our services.

You acknowledge that this authorization will remain in effect for the duration of time that DRS serves as your housing counselor or financial education provider. You also acknowledge that should you wish to terminate this authorization, you will notify DRS in writing.

Disclosure  Statement

NOTE: If you have an impairment, disability, language barrier, or otherwise require an alternative means of completing this form or accessing information about our counseling services, please communicate with your DRS representative about arranging alternative accommodations.

Program Disclosure Form

Disclosure to Client for HUD Housing Counseling Services

Debt Reduction Services, Inc. and its financial education arm, Money Fit by DRS, offer the following housing counseling and educational services related to housing, personal finance, and bankruptcy certificates to consumers:
  • Housing Education Courses: DRS offers many online self-guided education programs classified as Financial, Budgeting, and Credit Workshops (FBC), Fair Housing Pre-Purchase Education Workshops (FHW), Homelessness Prevention Workshops (HMW), Non-Delinquency Post Purchase Workshops (NDW), Predatory Lending Education Workshops (PLW), Pre-purchase Homebuyer Education Workshops (PPW), and Rental Housing Workshops (RHW). These courses help participants increase their knowledge of and skills in personal finance, including home affordability, budgeting, and understanding the use of credit, as well as predatory lending, loan scams, and other fraud prevention topics, fair housing, rental topics, pre-purchase homebuyer education, non-delinquency post-purchase topics including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners, homeless prevention workshop, and other workshops not listed above relating to personal finance and housing. Course details are found below under “Housing Workshops.”
  • Home Equity Conversation Mortgage (HECM) Counseling (RMC): Via telephone and virtual platforms, we offer the required HECM counseling nationwide in addition to in-person counseling in Boise, Idaho. We also offer in-home counseling options in thirty counties across southern Idaho for an additional fee to cover our travel and additional staff time costs.
  • Home Maintenance and Financial Management for Homeowners (Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase) (FBC): Clients receive counseling and materials on the proper maintenance of their home and mortgage refinancing. Clients can find help and resources by phone, in our Boise office, or virtually on all topics related to stabilizing their long-term homeownership.
  • Services for Homeless Counseling (HMC): Clients receive phone, virtual, or in-person (Boise) counseling to evaluate their current housing needs, identify barriers to and goals for housing stability, establish a path to self-sufficiency, and connect with emergency shelters, income-appropriate housing, and/or other community resources (e.g. mental healthcare, job training, transportation, etc.).
  • Pre-Purchase Counseling (PPC): Clients receive counseling through the entire homebuying process. Assistance may involve creating a sustainable household budget, understanding mortgage options, building their credit rating, and putting together a realistic action plan to set and achieve homeownership goals.  Additionally, clients will receive materials and resources about home inspections and other homeownership topics relevant to successfully maintaining a home.
  • Rental Housing Counseling (RHC): Via phone, in-person appointments (Boise, ID), or virtual platforms, clients receive housing counseling relevant to renting, including rent subsidies from HUD or other government and assistance programs. Topics can also address issues and concerns having to do with fair housing, landlord and tenant laws, lease terms, rent delinquency, household budgeting, and finding alternate housing.
DRS also offers the following services:
  • A Debt Management Program (DMP) for consumers struggling to pay their credit cards, collections, medical debts, personal loans, old utility bills, and past-due cell phone accounts;
  • The Budget Briefing and Debtor Education Certificates that are required during the Bankruptcy filing process;
  • A Student Loan Repayment Plan Counseling and application service.

Relationships with Industry Partners

Through such services, DRS has established financial relationships with hundreds of banks, credit unions, and creditors such as American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, Capital One, Chase, Citibank, Credit One, Discover, Synchrony, US Bank, USAA, Wells Fargo, and others.

No Client Obligation

The client is not obligated to receive, purchase or utilize any other services offered by DRS or its exclusive partners to receive financial education or housing counseling services. Alternatives: As a condition of our counseling services, in alignment with meeting our client services goals, and in compliance with HUD’s Housing Counseling Program requirements, we may provide information on alternative services, programs, and products available to you, if applicable and known by our staff. Alternative DMP services include negotiating better repayment terms directly with your individual creditors, paying your debts as agreed, or, in extreme cases, filing for personal bankruptcy. Alternative credit and education services can be found through MyMoney.gov or the Jump$tart Clearinghouse of online financial education resources. Housing counseling alternatives can be found through HUD at www.hud.gov/findacounselor.
Finally, you understand that you may revoke consent to these disclosures by notifying DRS in writing.

Housing Counseling and Education Fee Schedule

 

Online Education Program Fees*

Homebuyer Education Course: $59 per participant

  • Self-paced course available here, our online housing counseling and education center. Certificates will be automatically generated upon completion of the course (approximately 6-8 hours)

RentalFair HousingPredatory Lending / HOEPAPost-Purchase (Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop, including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners) Online Workshops: $49 per participant

  • Approximately 1 hour each

Other Self-Guided Financial Literacy Webinars (e.g. creditbudgetinghomeless preventiondebt prevention): $0

One-on-one Counseling Fees*

Pre-purchase Homebuying Counseling, Rental Counseling, Post-purchase Ownership Maintenance and Financial Management: $75

  • Session by the hour

Reverse Mortgage/HECM Counseling with Required Certificate:

  • $200†

Credit Report Fee: Paid Directly by Client

*Fees for all but our online education courses and workshops can be paid online by debit card, credit card, or PayPal or in person by cash, check or money order to: “Debt Reduction Services, Inc.” Registration fees are non-refundable 24 hours or less before the start of an in-person course or workshop. Certificates are non-transferable

*Fees may be waived for households with income of 150% or less of that identified on the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines Page

†Home visit counseling is available in 30 southern Idaho counties for potential HECM borrowers at additional costs to cover our travel (IRS reimbursement rates apply) and staff time ($50 per hour or fraction there).

Housing Counseling and Education Fee Schedule

 

Online Education Program Fees*

Homebuyer Education Course: $59 per participant

  • Self-paced course available here, our online housing counseling and education center. Certificates will be automatically generated upon completion of the course (approximately 6-8 hours)

RentalFair HousingPredatory Lending / HOEPAPost-Purchase (Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop, including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners) Online Workshops: $49 per participant

  • Approximately 1 hour each

Other Self-Guided Financial Literacy Webinars (e.g. creditbudgetinghomeless preventiondebt prevention): $0

One-on-one Counseling Fees*

Pre-purchase Homebuying Counseling, Rental Counseling, Post-purchase Ownership Maintenance and Financial Management: $75

  • Session by the hour

Reverse Mortgage/HECM Counseling with Required Certificate:

  • $200†

Credit Report Fee: Paid Directly by Client

*Fees for all but our online education courses and workshops can be paid online by debit card, credit card, or PayPal or in person by cash, check or money order to: “Debt Reduction Services, Inc.” Registration fees are non-refundable 24 hours or less before the start of an in-person course or workshop. Certificates are non-transferable

*Fees may be waived for households with income of 150% or less of that identified on the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines Page

†Home visit counseling is available in 30 southern Idaho counties for potential HECM borrowers at additional costs to cover our travel (IRS reimbursement rates apply) and staff time ($50 per hour or fraction there).