The Journal of Financial Planning awarded three academic researchers the 2024 Best Research Award.
DENVER (March 6, 2025) – The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) and the Journal of Financial Planning are pleased to announce that three academic researchers have been recognized with the 2024 Best Research Award for their contributions to advancing financial planning practitioners and the profession. The 2024 Best Research Award winners are David Blanchett, Ph.D., CFA, CFP®; Kristy L. Archuleta, Ph.D., LMFT, CFT-I™; and Timothy Todd, Ph.D., JD.
"Each year, FPA takes great pride in showcasing groundbreaking research at our Annual Conference and within the Journal of Financial Planning, which enriches the knowledge base of our profession," said 2025 FPA President Paul Brahim, CFP®, CEPA®. "The exceptional researchers we honor have produced innovative studies that empower practitioners to stay at the forefront of the profession and enable them to meet their clients' needs effectively."
Following a Call for Papers last spring, the researchers were invited to present their work at FPA Annual Conference 2024 in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 18-20, 2024. Based on the evaluations of the presentations, the researchers receiving the Award are:
- David Blanchett, Ph.D., CFA, CFP,®, managing director, portfolio manager, and head of retirement research for PGIM DC Solutions, is recognized for his work with Michael Finke, PhD, CFP®, professor of wealth management at The American College of Financial Services, on retirement consumption optimization. His presentation, “Retirees Spend Lifetime Income, Not Savings,” explored how households use their available resources to fund consumption in retirement to avoid underspending.
- Kristy L. Archuleta, Ph.D., LMFT, CFT-I™, Betsy Barnard Sages Professorship in Financial Therapy and Financial Planning and professor of financial planning and housing and consumer economics at the University of Georgia, and Timothy Todd, Ph.D., JD, dean and professor of law at Liberty University School of Law, are recognized for their work describing conceptual frameworks to help planners distinguish between financial stress and financial anxiety. Their presentation, “Let’s Talk About Financial Stress and Anxiety: Is There a Difference?” explained how these distinct constructs are important to financial planners’ ability to assess their clients’ needs.
“Clients’ needs are highly individualized to their circumstances and desires. Research that helps them identify opportunities and optimize outcomes for each unique individual is an important contribution to the financial planning profession,” said Danielle Andrus, editor of the Journal of Financial Planning. “We’re grateful to Drs. Blanchett, Archuleta and Todd for their work on these fundamental problems and look forward to seeing the research applied by practitioners in the future.”
The work was presented during sessions at FPA Annual Conference 2024. Presenters were selected from submissions during a call for papers, and Best Research winners were selected from among the presenters for their work’s contribution to the profession.
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About the Financial Planning Association
For 25 years, the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) has been the leading membership organization and trade association for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals and those engaged in the financial planning process. FPA is the CFP® professional’s partner in planning by helping them realize their vision of professional fulfillment through practice support, learning, advocacy, and networking. Learn more about FPA at financialplanningassociation.org.
About the Journal of Financial Planning
First published in 1979, the mission of the Journal of Financial Planning is to expand the body of knowledge in the financial planning profession. With monthly feature articles, interviews, columns, and peer-reviewed technical contributions, the Journal's content is dynamic, innovative, thought-provoking, and directly beneficial to financial planners in their work. Learn more at www.fpajournal.org.