Profile | Directory | Utah Valley University

Faculty Member

Benjamin Cummings

Email: benjamin.cummings@uvu.edu
Office: 433B
Phone: 801-863-8234
https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/BenjaminCummings@365.uvu.edu/bookings/
Curriculum Vitae: Benjamin Cummings CV

Biography

Benjamin F. Cummings, Ph.D., CFP(R), is an Associate Professor and Faculty Director of the Master of Financial Planning & Analytics (MFPA) program at Utah Valley University. He is also a Partner at Blue Barn Wealth. Benjamin has completed award-winning research and has been quoted in the media, including in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, MarketWatch, and USA Today. Previously, he taught at the American College and Saint Joseph's University and served as Scholar in Residence at CFP Board. Benjamin received a B.S. in Psychology from Utah State University and a Ph.D. in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University. When not working, Benjamin enjoys spending time with his wonderful family and volunteering for his church.

Education

Ph D, Texas Tech University, 2013

Major: Personal Financial Planning

BS, Utah State University, 2007

Major: Psychology

Teaching

FIN 3400

Investment Management, Spring 2024

FIN 5800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2024

FIN 3100

Principles of Finance, Spring 2024

Presentations

Cummings, Benjamin , Teaching & Research Development Symposium, "Hosting a Financial Planning Career Day", Personal Financial Planning Department at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. (February, 2017)

Cummings, Benjamin , Teaching & Research Development Symposium, "The Latest Research in Behavioral Finance", Personal Financial Planning Department at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. (February, 2017)

Cummings, Benjamin , Guillemette, Michael , Martin, Terrance , James, Russell , Annual conference, "Beyond the credentials_ Selecting professional financial advice", Academy of Financial Services, Las Vegas, NV. (October, 2016)

Cummings, Benjamin , Browning, Christopher , Annual conference, "Equity allocation decisions during the Great Recession", Academy of Behavioral Finance & Economics, Philadelphia, PA. (September, 2015)

Cummings, Benjamin , Registered Program Conference, "Assurance of Learning across the Curriculum", CFP Board, Washington, DC. (August, 2015)

Cummings, Benjamin , Registered Program Conference, "Hosting a Financial Planning Career Day", CFP Board, Washington, DC. (August, 2015)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Heist, H Daniel, Farwell, Megan M, Cummings, Benjamin F, Cnaan, Ram A, Andrews, Erinn , Shamash, Rebecca , (2023) "Tubs, Tanks, and Towers_ Donor Strategies for DAF Giving" (Issue: 4, vol. 33). Nonprofit Management & Leadership. https://doi.org/10.1002/nml.21544

Cummings, Benjamin , Chaffin, Charles , (2022) "Perceptions of financial advisors regarding factors that affect the development of planning and client communication techniques in practice" (Issue: 8, vol. 76). Journal of Financial Service Professionals. https://discovery.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=e4b5912b-7420-3955-b28a-70ab685bb6c8

Heller, Jason E, Cummings, Benjamin F, Martin, Jason , McCrae, Melisande , (2022) "Distribution channel effects on advisor managed investment performance" (Issue: 2, vol. 30). Financial Services Review. https://ezproxy.uvu.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=158989667&site=eds-live

Heist, H Dan, Farwell, Megan M, Cummings, Benjamin F, Cnaan, Ram A, Andrews, Erinn , Shamash, Rebecca , (2022) "Understanding the donor-advised fund giving process_ Insights from current DAF users" (Issue: 2, vol. 51). Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640211011248

Cummings, Benjamin , James, Russell , (2022) "The impact of financial advisors on the subsequent wealth of older adults" (Issue: 1, vol. 21). Journal of Personal Finance. https://ezproxy.uvu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/impact-financial-advisors-on-subsequent-wealth/docview/2649766432/se-2?accountid=14779

Clontz, Bryan , Cummings, Benjamin , "An inferential approach to derive the U.S. charitable gift annuity market scale and scope" . Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.

Awards

Faculty Excellence Award

Faculty Senate - April, 2023

The purpose of the Faculty Senate Faculty Excellence Award is to recognize full-time and adjunct faculty who have made significant contributions to UVU's mission through demonstrated excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

40 Under 40

InvestmentNews - June, 2019

Northwestern Mutual Best Paper Award in Insurance and Risk Management

CFP Board's Center for Financial Planning - February, 2019

AFCPE® Journal Article of the Year Award

Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE) - November, 2015

CFP Board Best Paper Award

Academy of Financial Services (AFS) - October, 2013

CFP Board’s ACCI Financial Planning Paper Award

American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI) - May, 2013

FIN 6840

Behavioral Finance Seminar, Fall 2023

FIN 5800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Fall 2023

FIN 6450

Planning for Financial Planning Business Owners, Fall 2023

FIN 3100

Principles of Finance, Fall 2023

FIN 6800

Financial Planning Capstone and Case Analysis, Spring 2023

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2023

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2023

FIN 6350

Retirement Income Planning, Spring 2023

FIN 6840

Behavioral Finance Seminar, Fall 2022

FIN 690R

Independent Study, Fall 2022

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Fall 2022

FIN 6450

Planning for Financial Planning Business Owners, Fall 2022

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Summer 2022

FIN 3100

Principles of Finance, Summer 2022

FIN 6800

Financial Planning Capstone and Case Analysis, Spring 2022

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2022

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2022

FIN 3100

Principles of Finance, Spring 2022

FIN 6200

Behavioral Finance Seminar, Fall 2021

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Fall 2021

FIN 6450

Planning for Financial Planning Business Owners, Fall 2021

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Summer 2021

FIN 6800

PFP Capstone, Summer 2021

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2021

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2021

FIN 6450

Planning for Financial Planning Business Owners, Spring 2021

FIN 6200

Behavioral Finance Seminar, Fall 2020

FIN 6200

Behavioral Finance Seminar, Fall 2020

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Fall 2020

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Summer 2020

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2020

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Spring 2020

FIN 3060

Introduction to the PFP Profession, Fall 2019

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Fall 2019

FIN 4800

Personal Financial Planning Capstone, Fall 2019

Best PhD Student Paper Award

American Accounting Association - November, 2011

1st Place

iOMe Challenge

National Retirement Competition

Cummings, Benjamin , Guillemette, Michael , Annual conference, "Lessons from neuroscience on financial decision making", , Academy of Financial Services, Nashville, TN. (October, 2014)

Cummings, Benjamin , Heck, Jean , Annual conference, "Three decades of financial planning research", , Academy of Financial Services, Nashville, TN. (October, 2014)

Guillemette, Michael , Martin, Terrance , Cummings, Benjamin , Annual conference, "Who demands longevity insurance?", , Financial Planning Association, Seattle, WA. (September, 2014)

Cummings, Benjamin , Annual conference, "A concise theory of household financial decision making", , American Council on Consumer Interests, Milwaukee, WI. (April, 2014)

Cummings, Benjamin , James, Russell , Annual conference, "The impact of financial advisors on the subsequent wealth of older adults", , Academy of Financial Services, Chicago, IL. (October, 2013)

Cummings, Benjamin , Annual conference, "Teaching ethics and agency costs in an introductory financial planning course", , Financial Education Association, Southampton, Bermuda. (September, 2013)

Cummings, Benjamin , Registered Program Conference, "Teaching ethics and agency costs in an introductory financial planning course", , CFP Board, Washington, DC. (August, 2013)

Cummings, Benjamin , Finke, Michael , James, Russell , Annual conference, "Bounded rationality strikes again_ The impact of cognitive ability and financial planners on Roth IRA adoption and ownership", , American Council on Consumer Interests, Portland, OR. (April, 2013)

Cummings, Benjamin , James, Russell , Annual conference, "Determinants of seeking financial advice among older adults", , American Council on Consumer Interests, Portland, OR. (April, 2013)

Cummings, Benjamin , Chaffin, Charles , Annual conference, "Perceptions of financial planners regarding factors that affect the development of planning and client communication techniques in practice", , Academy of Financial Services, San Antonio, TX. (October, 2012)

Cummings, Benjamin , Chaffin, Charles , Registered Program Conference, "Perceptions of financial planners regarding factors that affect the development of planning and client communication techniques in practice", , CFP Board, Washington, DC. (August, 2012)

Cummings, Benjamin , Finke, Michael , Midwest Region Meeting, "Tax complexity and cognitive ability", , American Accounting Association, Indianapolis, IN. (October, 2011)

Clontz, Bryan , Cummings, Benjamin , "A comprehensive analysis of charitable gift annuity bankruptcies and defaults" . Nonprofit Management & Leadership.

Cummings, Benjamin , Newcomb, Sarah , Durband, D. B., Law, R. H., Mazzolini, A. K., (2019) "Frameworks for financial decision making" . Cham: Financial Counseling/Springer Nature. https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319725857

Newcomb, Sarah , Cummings, Benjamin , Durband, D. B., Law, R. H., Mazzolini, A. K., (2019) "Making the science practical_ Behavioral interventions in practice" . Cham: Financial Counseling/Springer Nature. https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319725857

Raskie, Sterling , Martin, Jason , Lemoine, Craig , Cummings, Benjamin , (2018) "The value of financial designations_ A consumer perspective" (Issue: 6, vol. 31). Denver, CO: Journal of Financial Planning. https://discovery.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=0067c024-6639-397c-8cdb-761be5610663

Cummings, Benjamin , Baker, H. K., Filbeck, G. , Ricciardi, V. , (2017) "Financial planners and advisors" . New York, NY: Financial behavior_ Players, services, products, and markets / Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/financial-behavior-9780190269999?cc=us&lang=en&

Cummings, Benjamin , Guillemette, Michael , Xiao, J. J., (2016) "Neuroscience and consumer finance" (Issue: 2nd). Switzerland: Handbook of consumer finance research / Springer International Publishing. https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9781441926043

Guillemette, Michael , Martin, Terrance , Cummings, Benjamin , James, Russell , (2016) "Determinants of the stated probability of purchase for longevity insurance" (Issue: 1, vol. 41). The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance – Issues and Practice. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/gpp.2015.26

Cummings, Benjamin , Heck, Jean L, (2015) "The most prolific authors in financial planning literature" (Issue: 12, vol. 28). Denver, CO: Journal of Financial Planning. https://www.onefpa.org/journal/Pages/DEC15-The-Most-Prolific-Authors-in-Financial-Planning-Literature-.aspx

Finke, Michael , Cummings, Benjamin , (2014) "Models of financial advice for retirement plans_ Considerations for plan sponsors" . Society of Actuaries’ Committee on Post Retirement Needs and Risks. https://www.soa.org/research-reports/2014/research-models-finance-advice/

Cummings, Benjamin , James, Russell N, (2014) "Factors associated with getting and dropping financial advisors among older adults_ Evidence from longitudinal data" (Issue: 2, vol. 25). Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning. https://www.afcpe.org/news-and-publications/journal-of-financial-counseling-and-planning/volume-25-2/factors-associated-with-getting-and-dropping-financial-advisors-among-older-adults-evidence-from-longitudinal-data/

Cummings, Benjamin , Finke, Michael , (2012) "Regulating household financial advice" (Issue: 3, vol. 1). Journal of Governance and Regulation.

Chaffin, Charles , Cummings, Benjamin , (2012) "Application of the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition to financial planning" (Issue: 6, vol. 66). Journal of Financial Service Professionals.