Benjamin Franklin Cummings
Curriculum VitaeAssistant Professor of Finance Email: benjamin.cummings@sju.edu Erivan K. Haub School of Business Office: Mandeville Hall 242
Saint Joseph’s University Phone: (610) 660-2239
5600 City Ave. Fax: (610) 660-1986
Philadelphia, PA 19131 Updated: September 2015
Education
Ph.D. (2013). Personal Financial Planning. Texas Tech University.
Dissertation: Three Essays on the Use and Value of Financial Advice Major Advisor: Michael S. Finke, Ph.D., CFP®
B.S. (2007). Psychology. Utah State University.
Minors: Personal Financial Planning; Family and Human Development
Honor’s Thesis: Application of the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) to saving
behaviors of college students
Thesis Advisor: Jean M. Lown, Ph.D.
Current Position
Assistant Professor, Saint Joseph’s University, 2013 – present.
Research interests: Behavioral household finance, agency costs of financial advice,
household intertemporal choice and portfolio allocation decisions
Courses taught:
FIN 200: Introduction to Finance (Undergraduate)
FPL 200: Introduction to Financial Planning (Undergraduate) RMI 200: Introduction to Insurance (Undergraduate)
FIN 601: Personal Financial Planning (Graduate) FPL 301: Estate Planning (Undergraduate) FIN 606: Estate Planning (Graduate)
FIN 620: Financial Plan Development and Presentation (Graduate)
Publications
Guillemette, M., Martin, T.K., Cummings, B.F., & James, R.N. (forthcoming). Determinants of the stated probability of purchase for longevity insurance. Geneva Papers on Risk and
Insurance.
Cummings, B.F., & James, R.N. (2014). Factors associated with getting and dropping financial advisors among older adults: Evidence from longitudinal data. Journal of
Financial Counseling and Planning, 25(2), 129-147. Recipient of the 2015 AFCPE®
Cummings, B.F., Chaffin, C.R. (2012). Application of the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition to financial planning. Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 66(6), 53-60.
Book Chapters
Cummings, B.F., & Guillemette, M.A. (forthcoming). Consumer finance and neuroscience. In J.J. Xiao (Ed.), Handbook of Consumer Finance (2nd ed.).
Funded Monographs
Finke, M.S., & Cummings, B.F. (2014). Models of financial advice for retirement plans: Considerations for plan sponsors. Available at
https://www.soa.org/research/research-projects/pension/research-models-finance-advice-retire.aspx
Selected Working Papers
Cummings, B.F., James, R.N. The impact of financial advisors on the subsequent wealth of older adults. Available at SSRN:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2434267
Cummings, B.F., Finke, M.S., & James, R.N. Bounded rationality strikes again: The impact of cognitive ability and financial planners on Roth IRA adoption and ownership. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1968984
Finke, M.S. & Cummings, B.F. The economics of fiduciary investment advice. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1701181
Conference Presentations
Cummings, B.F., & Browning, C.M. Equity allocation decisions during the Great Recession. Academy of Behavioral Finance & Economics in Philadelphia, PA, September 2015. Cummings, B.F., & Heck, J.L. Three decades of financial planning research. Academy of
Financial Services in Nashville, TN, October 2014.
Cummings, B.F., & Guillemette, M.A. Lessons from neuroscience on financial decision making. Academy of Financial Services in Nashville, TN, October 2014.
Guillemette, M.A., Martin, T.K., & Cummings, B.F. Who demands longevity insurance? Financial Planning Association in Seattle, WA, September 2014.
Cummings, B.F. A concise theory of household financial decision making. American Council on Consumer Interests in Milwaukee, WI, April 2014.
Cummings, B.F., & James, R.N. The impact of financial advisors on the subsequent wealth of
older adults. Academy of Financial Services in Chicago, IL, October 2013. Recipient of
CFP Board Best Paper Award.
Cummings, B.F. Teaching ethics and agency costs in an introductory financial planning
Cummings, B.F., & James, R.N. Determinants of seeking financial advice among older adults. American Council on Consumer Interests in Portland, OR, April 2013. Recipient of CFP Board’s ACCI Financial Planning Paper Award.
Cummings, B.F., Finke, M.S., & James, R.N. Bounded rationality strikes again: The impact of
cognitive ability and financial planners on Roth IRA adoption and ownership. American
Council on Consumer Interests in Portland, OR, April 2013.
Cummings, B.F., & Chaffin, C.R. Perceptions of financial planners regarding factors that affect
the development of planning and client communication techniques in practice. CFPBoard Registered Program Conference in Washington, DC, August 2012. Also at Academy of Financial Services in San Antonio, TX, October 2012.
Cummings, B.F., & Finke, M.S. Tax complexity and cognitive ability. American Accounting Association Midwest Region Meeting in Indianapolis, IN, October 2011. Recipient of the Best Ph.D. Student Paper Award.
Cummings, B.F. The role of financial professionals and charitable donations on inter vivos
gifting. Texas Tech University Graduate Student Research Poster Competition,
March 2011.
Pfeiffer, S., & Cummings, B.F. Liquidity analysis: Are hyperbolic consumers likely to have
sufficient emergency funds? Academy of Financial Services in Denver, CO, October 2010.
Cummings, B.F., Katz, D., Jasper, J., & Hampton, V. Using a clinic to enhance financial
planning education. CFPBoard Program Director’s Conference in Washington, DC, August 2010.
Cummings, B.F., & Smith, H.L. Proposal for a lead federal financial services regulator and
state regulation of financial planners. American Council on Consumer Interests in
Atlanta, GA, April 2010.
Finke, M.S., Huston, S., & Cummings, B.F. Do comprehensive planners provide better
retirement advice? Academy of Financial Services in Anaheim, CA, October 2009.
Cummings, B.F., & Lown, L.M. Application of the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) to
saving behaviors of college students. Association for Financial Counseling and Planning
Education in Tampa, FL, November 2007.
Invited Industry Presentations
Cummings, B.F., Finke, M.S., & Peterson, A. Models of Financial Advice for Retirement Plans. Retirement Industry Conference in Arlington, VA, April 2015.
Cummings, B.F., & Chaffin, C.R. Helping Young Financial Advisors Succeed in the Workforce. National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Sales Congress in Norristown, PA, September 2014.
Other Presentations
Cummings, B.F. Making Financial Decisions for a Vibrant Future. Ignatian Circle at Saint Joseph’s University, October 2014.
Cummings, B.F. The Psychology of Money. Family Weekend at Saint Joseph’s University, September 2014.
Select Media Appearances
Powell, R. (2014, May 10). Retirement investing: Don’t go it alone. MarketWatch. Available at http://www.marketwatch.com/story/retirement-investing-dont-go-it-alone-2014-05-10
Powell, R. (2014, April 12). Three ways to help millennials save for retirement.
MarketWatch. Available at
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/three-ways-to-help-millennials-save-for-retirement-2014-04-12
Hersh, L. (2014, October 6). Radio show interview. Retirement Living. Archive available at http://archive.wbcb1490.com/archive/retirement/urban100614.mp3
Previous Teaching Experience
Instructor, Saint Joseph’s University, 2012-2013. Instructor, Texas Tech University, 2009-2011.
Teaching Assistant, Texas Tech University, 2008-2009.
Other Academic Experience
Scholar in Residence, Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., 2011-2012. Research Assistant, Russell James & Sandra Huston, Summer 2011.
Editorial Assistant, Journal of Personal Finance, 2011.
TEACH Fellow, Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center, 2009-2010.
Textbook Review
Dalton, M.A., & Langdon, T.P. (2013). Estate Planning (7th ed.) USA: Money-Education.
Professional Experience
Summer Associate, FJY Financial, Summer 2008.
Financial Maintenance Educator Intern, Utah State University Extension, Spring 2008.
Professional Certification
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (CFP®) Certification
Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Financial Awards
$6,000 Summer Research Grant, Saint Joseph’s University, 2014.
Texas Tech, 2011-2012.
$1,000 Elizabeth G. Haley Scholarship, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech, 2011-2012.
$1,000 Arthur N. Caple Foundation Scholarship, 2011.
$10,000 1st Place, National Retirement Competition (team award), iOMe Challenge, 2010.
$1,000 C.J. Davidson Scholarship, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech, 2010-2011. $100 Student Conference Scholarship, American Council on Consumer Interests, 2010. $1,600 Gary A. Morris CFP® Exam Prep Course & Merit Scholarships, Financial Planning
Association – Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter, 2010.
$2,500 1st Runner-up, National Retirement Competition (team award), iOMe Challenge,
2009.
$1,000 TEACH Fellow, Teaching, Learning and Technology Center, Texas Tech, 2009-2010.
$1,000 Elizabeth G. Haley Scholarship, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech, 2009-2010.
$250 Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities Grant, Utah State, 2007.
Other Honors and Awards
2015 AFCPE® Journal Article Award, Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, 2015.
Best Ph.D. Student Paper Award, American Accounting Association Midwest Meeting, 2011. Excellence in Financial Education, Society of Financial Service Professionals, 2009-2010. 1st Place, Teaching Portfolio Contest, TEACH Program, Texas Tech, 2010.
Outstanding Client-Based Volunteer, Red to Black®, Fall 2009.
University Research Scholar Designation, Utah State, 2007.
Valedictorian, Department of Psychology, Utah State, December 2007. Magna Cum Laude, Utah State, December 2007.
Service
Saint Joseph’s University
Assurance of Learning (AOL) Committee, 2015-present.
Executive Committee of the Haub School of Business (HSB) Council, 2014-present. Deans’ Scholarship Committee, 2014-present.
Financial Planning Curriculum Committee, 2013-2014. Dean’s Leadership Program, 2012-2015.
Diversity, Globalization, Non-Western Overlay Committee, 2012-2014. Texas Tech University
Graduate Student Representative, Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center Advisory
Committee, 2010-2011.
Peer Financial Planner, Red to Black®, 2009-2011.
Fundraising Chair, Financial Education Week, Red to Black ®, 2010.
Utah State University
Vice President, Financial Planning Student Association, 2007. Treasurer, Psi Chi Council, 2006-2007.
REACH Peer, Counseling Center, 2006-2007. Academic & Industry
Vice President – Local Arrangements, Academy of Financial Services, 2013-present. Director of Career Development, FPA – Philadelphia Tri-State Chapter, 2014-present. Aspiring Academics Webinar Committee Chairperson, American Council on Consumer
Interests, 2011-2012.
Student Volunteer, Financial Planning Association Conferences, 2007 & 2008. Community
Chartering Organization Representative, Boy Scouts of America, Troop 871, 2013-2015. Assistant Scoutmaster, Boy Scouts of America, Troop 871, 2012-2013.
