👋🏾 I’m here in Detroit this week training financial coaches, and I wanted to bring a case to this group. A client shared this AI exchange with a financial coach: Client to ChatGPT: “I have $780 and get paid $860 – $1,120 Friday. I owe $1,530 in current and past-due rent, $335 on the car I need for work, and $210 to keep the lights on. I need $180 for food and gas. I promised Mom $150 for prescriptions. A customer says they’ll pay me $600 next week. What can I cover, and who should I call before bills come due?” ChatGPT: “After Friday’s check, you’ll have $1,640–$1,900. If you set aside $180 for food and gas, that leaves $1,460–$1,720. Rent alone is $1,530, so at the low end you’re $70 short on rent. At the high end, paying all the rent leaves $190. Build your plan around the lower paycheck and add the $600 only once it arrives. Call your landlord, utility, and car lender to ask what amount they need by what date and whether they can offer a payment arrangement. Then compare those answers with what you want to set aside for Mom.” The client turns their phone toward the financial coach and taps the last line. “See where it says ‘what you want to set aside for Mom’? That’s the part I can’t get past. When I lost my job, she paid my rent out of her Social Security check. Now she needs her medicine. What am I supposed to tell her?” What did you hear in that last line that would change how you coach this client? 👀 You’re the coach. What’s the next sentence out of your mouth? Drop it in the comments exactly as you’d say it. 👀

We had seven new members join us today and I want to make sure each of you feels seen. Troy, Shannon, Will, Kamilla, Denzil, Lamaya, and Mary — welcome. We are glad you are here. This is a space for financial coaches, housing counselors, and practitioners who are serious about the future of their work. You are in good company here. When you have a moment, drop a comment and introduce yourself. Tell us who you serve and one thing you are hoping to build or learn here. Glad to have you in the community. @Troy Carter @Cindy Shackelford @Will Austin @Kamilla Johnson @Denzil Davis @Lamaya Jarrell @Mary Vargas @Devin Stubblefield

Today I led a webinar on the topic: Your Clients Are Already Using AI and now I want to continue that discussion here. Somebody eventually will walk into your coaching session with a complete AI-generated financial plan already in hand. So here is the question: If your client already has the answers, what do they need YOU for? Because having a financial plan is not the same as being prepared to follow it. AI can help calculate the numbers. But what happens when the client knows what to do and still cannot move? What happens when fear, competing priorities, family responsibilities, or old money patterns get in the way? That is where great financial coaching becomes even more valuable. I believe the future belongs to coaches who can combine: - Human connection - Powerful coaching questions - Financial knowledge - Responsible use of AI The goal is not to compete with AI. The goal is to become a better coach because you know how to use it. So let me ask you: If a client brought you an AI-generated financial plan tomorrow, what is the ONE coaching question you would ask first? Drop your question below.

Today I had the opportunity to attend to a workshop " Your Clients Are Already Asking AI About Money " Wou! What a great workshop, shared real life histories,and more.

Everywhere you turn, somebody is talking about AI. “Now with AI.” “Powered by AI.” “Ask our AI assistant.” But for those of us who coach, counsel, and teach people about money, this raises a bigger question: Where does AI fit into the work we do with clients? That’s a question worth slowing down to answer. Adding AI to a workflow is easy enough. Using it in a way that strengthens the coaching relationship takes intention. Start With the Coaching Need Before asking, “Which AI tool should I use?” ask: “What am I trying to help this client understand, decide, or do?” Maybe your client feels overwhelmed and needs help identifying one priority. Maybe they understand their financial situation but struggle to explain it to their partner. Maybe they have a goal, but their next step is so large and vague that they keep putting it off. Each situation presents a different opportunity to use AI. It might help you prepare a thoughtful question, simplify an explanation, or turn a client’s chosen action into a manageable plan. The coaching need gives the technology a purpose. Getting an Answer and Making a Decision Are Different Things AI can produce a polished response in seconds. But a polished response does not automatically mean your client feels understood, agrees with the direction, or is ready to act. Imagine a client saying: “I know I need to save, but every time I get paid, something comes up.” An AI tool might immediately generate a savings plan. As a coach, you have a reason to get curious first. What keeps coming up? Unpredictable expenses? Family responsibilities? Income that changes from week to week? A plan that leaves no room for real life? The answer changes the conversation. AI can help you think through possibilities. The client helps you understand which possibilities fit their life. That is why our listening, judgment, and coaching presence matter. Three Practical Places to Begin 1. Prepare for a coaching conversation Use a fictional scenario to explore questions you could ask.