Financial Education and Counseling

Karen Richel is a University of Idaho Extension Associate Professor in Latah County and is the Family Finance Extension educator for all ten North Idaho counties. Karen reaches residents with research-based information to help families build strong financial foundations and balanced lives. She caters to every age and socioeconomic group with one-on-one counseling/coaching sessions, classes, workshops, and simulations on topics ranging from goal setting and tracking expenses to retirement and end-of-life planning. Karen can reframe challenging past money memories (financial coaching), guide the way to managing resilient finances (financial education and counseling) and then help design a sustainable path to wealth planning (retirement and estate planning). Her educational background and certifications as an Accredited Financial Counselor^® and a Certified Money Coach^® allow her to provide all of these services to every resident. Her claim-to-fame is being the "budget queen." She can help you find money where you didn't know it existed.