Meet the Your Money Line Financial Guides: Kristen Ahlenius

My name is Kristen Ahlenius, the Director of Education & Advice at Your Money Line. As an Accredited Financial Counselor, AFC®, I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Financial Counseling & Planning. I also hold a certificate in Financial Therapy, the focus of my recent Masters. I lead our team of financial experts who serve you at Your Money Line. My job is to help you put your best foot forward regarding your personal finances.

I leverage many tools, including my education, in my toolbelt to ensure I meet you where you are in your journey. It’s my mission (both personally and professionally) to help people improve their financial health because I grew up without the resources we (Your Money Line) provide. My background in money, personal finances, and financial education, in general, is quite different from my current reality.

I’m a first-generation college student. My maternal grandfather never finished high school (he dropped out after 8th grade), and along the way, many cousins have tried to follow our grandfather's path. I grew up with an extended family that did not place much emphasis on formal education; instead, greater value was set on your ability to “earn” your dollar - usually through physical labor. I greatly respect the work of my late grandfather, father, and numerous other family members. I still yearn for a balance between work ethic, the value of education, and respect between blue- and white-collar households. While the lessons I learned via the direct and indirect teachings of the “School of Hard Knocks” continue to prove valuable, I experienced a significant lack of financial education. (Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with how I came to value financial education.)

What I will tell you is that improving my financial literacy changed the trajectory of my potential. Although you still must possess the financial resources to make some changes, education, increased awareness, and open-mindedness were difference-makers for me. First, did you know that most of our unconscious beliefs about money are “caught” and not taught? For those without formal education about personal finances (which is most people, by the way), your beliefs about money are based more on observations and experiences than education and introspection. Your core beliefs about money are called “money scripts” and are a large part of how you view and make money decisions today.

If this is the first time anyone has told you, let me be the first to say that money (as it relates to personal finance) has very little to do with math. The personal finance space is more art than science. I implore you to dig into your relationship with personal finances. It won’t be easy, but take it from me, it can change your life. Increased awareness and education can reduce financial anxiety, improve potential retirement success, and more. In addition, we have the opportunity to impact future generations by changing our relationship with money. The great news is that you don’t have to take even the first step alone.

Our team of financial experts is ready to meet you where you are in your personal finance journey. Maybe you’ve never talked to anyone about money before; that’s ok, we are here to listen. Perhaps you’re not ready to share your financial details but want to learn more about personal finance. We can do that too. Let our team meet you where you are and walk alongside you as you make positive financial changes for yourself, your circle, and future generations.

If you need help getting started with your financial wellness, the financial guides at Your Money Line are always ready and willing to help. Get started by visiting our Your Money Line page.

Gifts by generous donors to Ministerial Relief and Assistance (MRA) make programs like Your Money Line possible. Learn more about MRA here.