The Behavioral Divide with Hal Hershfield

Avantis Investors

Financial decisions are endlessly complicated. There’s a huge body of academic literature that tries to study them to look for answers on how to improve decision making while a broad industry of financial advisors also work with investors every day on decisions that affect their financial futures. But there exists a divide between the two. On The Behavioral Divide, presented by Avantis Investors®, host and UCLA Professor Hal Hershfield examines this divide to find insights that may help advisors and investors make better financial decisions.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on the podcast or our episodes, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. For other contact options, please visit avantisinvestors.com/avantis-contact.

The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of Avantis Investors, a brand by American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances.

Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments.

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S1 · E24
Wednesday · 34 min
What’s the Money For? Lessons on Wealth, Happiness, and a Life Well Lived
Jonathan Clements was a prodigious writer on personal finance and investor behavior, well known for his long tenure writing the “Getting Going” column for the Wall Street Journal and for creating HumbleDollar.com. After receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, he summarized much of his life’s work helping others pursue greater financial happiness in his final book titled Money and Me. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, Professor Hal Hershfield shares a special interview with William (Bill) Bernstein—a close friend of Jonathan’s and whose own financial writing and research was often cited in Jonathan’s columns. He’s also a co-founder of Efficient Frontier Advisors and has published several books on investments. They share a wide-ranging discussion on key insights from Jonathan’s work and Bill’s own experience, including the value of understanding the purpose of one’s money, why retirees should think hard about what will give them fulfillment after their career, and the importance of identifying whether we will be content ending our lives with lots of money left versus a desire to spend it all before we’re gone. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E23
July 29 · 37 min
One Voice: Finding Financial Harmony in Couples with Loud and Silent Partners
When it comes to finances and couples, there’s often a louder voice within the relationship. At times, it may feel less like there’s a couple managing shared assets versus an individual making decisions on behalf of a couple. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide presented by Avantis Investors®, Professor Hal Hershfield speaks with Indiana University’s Jenny Olson and Mark Johnsen of Wealth Architects to discuss the dynamics at play when it comes to couples and money. They cover strategies from the research and real-world experience to give each partner in a relationship a voice and help couples toward a shared vision. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E22
July 1 · 34 min
Beyond the Math, Part 3: The Importance of Framing with Annuities and Retirees
In Part 1 of our Beyond the Math miniseries, we spoke about the challenges investors can face with decumulation in retirement. In Part 3, we dig into a tool often proposed to help: annuities. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide presented by Avantis Investors®, Professor Hal Hershfield interviews University of Illinois Professor Jeff Brown, author of the forthcoming book “Will My Money Last?”, who has studied annuities for three decades, along with David Busch, CIO of Trajan Wealth. Their discussion focuses on what various types of annuities are really designed to do, why they are often misunderstood, and the investor psychology often at play when annuities are presented as a potential tool within a financial plan. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E21
May 20 · 34 min
Beyond the Math, Part 2: The “Fascinating History” and Psychology Behind Mortgages
For many, buying a home is the largest investment they’ll make, so it stands to reason that the decisions we make with mortgage loans matter. Yet, there are several persistent, predictable “mistakes” that are observed with mortgages. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide presented by Avantis Investors®—and part two of our Beyond the Math miniseries—Professor Hal Hershfield interviews Columbia Business School Professor Eric Johnson and Lake Tahoe Wealth Management CEO, Debbie Grose, to examine the psychological drivers that affect mortgage decisions like choosing a type of loan, deciding whether to refinance, or evaluating whether to pay off or maintain a mortgage. They’ll discuss common pitfalls found in the academic research and from the perspective of a financial advisor, along with ways we might overcome them. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E20
April 29 · 34 min
Beyond the Math, Part 1: The Psychology of Decumulation and Social Security Claiming
On the surface, many financial decisions may appear as simple math problems, but the numbers alone don’t always provide the “right” answer for everyone. One domain this applies is an investor’s decumulation phase—the period where our focus is no longer on accumulating savings for the future and becomes about how to draw on the nest egg we’ve built and fund our income in retirement. Social security claiming decisions are a prime example. How much you ultimately receive from social security is not only affected by when you claim but also how long you live. This leads to decisions that can be fraught with psychological factors. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, presented by Avantis Investors®, Professor Hal Hershfield discusses these psychological considerations that arise with decumulation and social security claiming decisions. To uncover the latest from the academic research and real-world advice, he speaks with an expert in decumulation decisions, Professor Suzanne Shu of Cornell University, and the CEO of financial advisory firm Define Financial, Taylor Schulte, CFP®. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E19
April 1 · 38 min
Risk and Reality: What the Research Says (and What Clients Do)
Risk can be complicated. One client’s views on risk might vary quite a lot from another. Just the same, one’s feelings about risk can vary from today versus next year. Advisors often aim to uncover client attitudes toward risk through questionnaires, but what has the research shown works (or doesn’t) with these tools? What has been found that might help advisors better understand what motivates how their clients feel about risk? On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, presented by Avantis Investors®, Professor Hal Hershfield dives into these questions and more with Professor Terry Odean from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Jennifer Baick, who leads the financial planning group at Mercer Advisors. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E18
January 28 · 28 min
What the Academics Say Personal Finance Gurus (and Financial Advisors) Are Getting Wrong
Much of the popular personal financial advice that reaches the average person doesn’t come from economists or professors. It often comes from writers and radio hosts that in some cases have amassed millions of followers and risen to prominence through widely available, low-cost financial guidance. On the next episode of The Behavioral Divide, Professor Hal Hershfield discusses this reality with James Choi, Professor of Finance at the Yale School of Management. Professor Choi has done extensive research examining the 50 most popular personal finance books to identify where their central themes match, and where they fail to align, with the academic literature. They discuss this work, as well as the most significant findings from academia that Professor Choi believes have failed to make it into the common practices of financial advisors and could potentially make a big difference for your clients. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E17
Dec 17, 2025 · 35 min
How to Help Others Change Their Behavior (Without Pushing Too Hard)
Change is hard. Helping others change isn’t always simple either. But we know, especially for folks like financial advisors, there will be times it’s important that you do. So, what can we do to make change easier, or to help others get where they want to go? On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, we cover exactly that. Professor Hal Hershfield speaks with two outstanding guests. He interviews Professor Katy Milkman of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and author of How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be as well as Tiffany Rosetti who serves as a financial advisor for Wealth Enhancement. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. The book How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Avantis Investors or American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E16
Nov 26, 2025 · 52 min
Process over Results: Tips to Improve Your Approach to Big Decisions
Not all bad outcomes result from bad decisions just like not all good outcomes come from good decisions. This simple thought speaks to the importance of the process of making decisions and not just their results, particularly when any amount of luck is involved. We probably don’t want to repeat bad decisions just because last time we got lucky and things worked out great! On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, presented by Avantis Investors®, Professor Hal Hershfield speaks with two guests about the science of decision making and tips they’ve found effective for improving our approach to big decisions. Joining Hal for this discussion are former poker pro, best-selling author, and decision strategist Annie Duke along with Ben Felix, CIO of PWL Capital and one of the hosts of the popular Rational Reminder podcast. They cover how to implement better processes for decision making, how to reduce the risk of behavioral bias in your decisions, how to judge the quality of your decisions, and more. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe or let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe
S1 · E15
Oct 29, 2025 · 38 min
Everyone’s Busy: How to Communicate So People Actually Respond and Act
Do you find that your emails to clients and prospects at times seem to go unread? You reach out. No response. What gives? When we’re dealing with busy people, how we approach and construct our communications matters. In fact, there are proven methods for increasing the chances that busy people respond or take the actions we need them to take. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, presented by Avantis Investors®, UCLA Professor Hal Hershfield speaks with Professor Todd Rogers from the Harvard Kennedy School and co-author of Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World. They explore his research on how best to reach busy people and how that can be put into practice. To focus the discussion on tips relevant to advisors, the interview is informed by questions submitted in advance by the team at Wealth Architects. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. The book Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Avantis Investors or American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe YouTube: https://a.vant.is/3InJedi
S1 · E14
Oct 1, 2025 · 30 min
From Numbers to Meaning: Rethinking Risk Communication
Quantifying risk with hard numbers and statistics is a logical first step to improving others’ understanding of potential outcomes, but there are ways we might do even better. There’s a science to risk communication born from years of research that identifies effective strategies for bringing meaning to risk conversations with people of varying backgrounds and numerical abilities. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, presented by Avantis Investors®, UCLA Professor Hal Hershfield speaks with Professor Ellen Peters from the University of Oregon and Mark Meredith, a certified financial planner and founder of Meredith Wealth Planning. Together, they dive into findings from the research and practical application to uncover methods for better risk communications. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4ppUSVI X: https://a.vant.is/4psIwMw Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3IlDEIy Apple: https://a.vant.is/3IgEhDe YouTube: https://a.vant.is/3InJedi
S1 · E13
Aug 27, 2025 · 33 min
Taming Uncertainty - What’s Knowable, What’s Random, and How to Navigate Both
Uncertainty is a constant in life—and especially in our financial lives. But not all uncertainty is created equal. Some arises from missing information we could know. Other times, the outcome is simply unknowable—or truly random. In this episode of The Behavioral Divide, UCLA Professor Hal Hershfield talks with decision science expert Professor Craig Fox to unpack the psychology of uncertainty. They explore why our brains struggle to deal with it, how different types of uncertainty influence our choices, and what the research says about interventions that actually help. Joining them is Dagny Maidman, Executive Managing Director and Wealth Advisor at Cresset, who brings the practitioner’s lens—sharing how she guides clients through unpredictable markets, imperfect information, and the emotions that come with both. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at: BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/409KwhI X: https://a.vant.is/3HKHwSL Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/4jPw45t Apple: https://a.vant.is/4mVi2Ca YouTube: https://a.vant.is/4lIjYfy
S1 · E12
Jul 30, 2025 · 32 min
How Does Our Personality Shape How We Spend, Save and Plan?
Did you know our financial decisions may be affected by our personality? It turns out being more agreeable, more conscientious, or more extroverted, for example, may play a role in how likely we are to choose to save our money for the future or spend it today instead. Research from Joe Gladstone, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business, has found that not only can personality traits be linked to our decisions with money, but we also may be able to use our understanding of one’s personality to prompt them towards better decisions. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, host Hal Hershfield dives into this topic with Professor Gladstone and Brandon Ratzlaff, Ph.D., CFP®, Director at Cypress Point Wealth Management, examining both the research and financial advisor perspective. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/409KwhI X: https://a.vant.is/3HKHwSL
S1 · E11
Jun 25, 2025 · 27 min
The Empty Nester Phase and Its Importance for Retirement Readiness
Parents know well the high costs of raising children. Certainly, this affects our ability to save for retirement or meet other financial goals, but what about when our kids leave home? How do empty nesters tend to respond financially, and psychologically? Work from Andrew Biggs, a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of The Real Retirement Crisis: Why (Almost) Everything You Know About the US Retirement System is Wrong, finds that the period after our children become financially independent can have a big impact on retirement readiness. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, host Hal Hershfield, discusses the research with Dr. Biggs along with real-world perspective from Certified Financial Planner Robin Sherwood, who serves as a Principal at HTG Investment Advisors. We look at how the empty-nester phase—and life transitions in general—can shape financial choices and personal fulfillment, and what can be done to make both better. The book The Real Retirement Crisis: Why (Almost) Everything You Know About the US Retirement System is Wrong is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Avantis Investors or American Century Investments. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/409KwhI X: https://a.vant.is/3HKHwSL
S1 · E10
May 28, 2025 · 26 min
Elegant Trades: Insights for Smarter Negotiations
You may have heard the saying “everything in life is a negotiation.” It highlights the prevalence of negotiations across many facets of our everyday lives—sometimes with lower stakes like agreeing to an allowance with your children and in other cases much more impactful decisions that pertain to your career or that might affect long-term financial goals. If we can negotiate more effectively, it could make a big difference. But, how? On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, host Hal Hershfield discusses this question with Yale University’s Daylian Cain, Ph.D., a Senior Lecturer in Negotiations, Leadership, and Ethics, and Scott Colangelo, Chairman and Managing Partner at Prime Capital. Our goal is to understand the types of negotiations we may face during our financial journey and identify well-researched and practically applied tips for potentially better outcomes. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at: BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4l3814W X: https://a.vant.is/3Yeb4xk Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/4jfRYP0 Apple: https://a.vant.is/4iH2QGt YouTube: https://a.vant.is/4mLcVEP
S1 · E9
Apr 30, 2025 · 26 min
The Effects of Financial Stress Across the Income Spectrum
There are obvious negative effects of financial stress—or financial constraints, in general. But how do financial constraints actually affect our decisions with money or in other areas of our lives? And while we may associate financial stress with those that have little money, anyone can feel constrained financially. For some, those constraints will be “real”, like truly struggling to make ends meet, and for others it may be more subjective, such as when one has ample income to meet necessities but may feel it’s a challenge to maintain a desired higher standard of living. On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, host Hal Hershfield examines this topic with Princeton University Professor Anuj Shah and Sam Swift, CEO of TCI Wealth Advisors to better understand how financial stress manifests in individuals across the income spectrum and how we might better manage it. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by subscribing and rating our series. We’d also love to hear from you on this topic. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4l3814W X: https://a.vant.is/3Yeb4xk Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/4iTiNJE Apple: https://a.vant.is/42lvCWe YouTube: https://a.vant.is/3SkftM1
S1 · E8
Mar 26, 2025 · 26 min
Why Financial Literacy Might Matter Today More than Ever
Financial literacy has been found to be a strong predictor of future financial outcomes. A better understanding of fundamental financial concepts tends to lead to better decision making. Yet, the grim reality is that financial literacy among the global population is quite low. Past studies estimated that only about a third of the world are considered financially literate. But what can we learn from the latest academic research on this topic? What has the academic community found that might help to drive progress? And how do the observations and findings from real-world financial advice compare? On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, host Hal Hershfield speaks with renowned financial literacy expert and Stanford University Professor Annamaria Lusardi along with Tom Cock, Partner and Regional Director at financial advisory firm Apella Wealth, to shed light on the current state of financial literacy, why it bears our attention today more than you may realize, and what these two perspectives can offer as a guide to better outcomes for ourselves, our clients, and society at large. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by subscribing and rating our series. We’d also love to hear from you on this topic. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Visit our website: https://a.vant.is/4j2MiZa Other contact options: https://a.vant.is/41X5vVe Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/4iJvk2j Apple: https://a.vant.is/4l6ME2U YouTube: https://a.vant.is/4kvcTPh Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4c7Wu0f X: https://a.vant.is/4ce009u
S1 · E7
Feb 26, 2025 · 30 min
Making the Most of Financial Legacy Decisions
There are plenty of logical reasons to devote some of our current wealth to future generations, such as supporting a better future for your family or society, the potential for estate tax benefits, and simply a common desire to build a legacy that endures beyond our lives. But tradeoffs abound when it comes to making such legacy decisions—not the least of which is how much do I want or need for myself today versus how much am I willing to give others for the future. Our choices may also be influenced by tendencies of human behavior or even our experience and feelings about legacy decisions of past generations. Do I feel like they were generous towards me, or selfish? Might that drive how I think about my own choices? On this episode of The Behavioral Divide, presented by Avantis Investors®, host Hal Hershfield speaks with Duke University Professor Kimberly Wade-Benzoni, an expert in intergenerational decision making, and Matt Hall, Co-Founder and CEO of Hill Investment Group, to examine what we can learn from both the academic research and real-world advisor-to-client experience to help us make better financial legacy decisions. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by subscribing and rating our series. We’d also love to hear from you on this topic. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments. Visit our website: https://a.vant.is/4id5Auj Other contact options: https://a.vant.is/3DeHC2Y Subscribe to The Behavioral Divide podcast: Spotify: https://a.vant.is/3ESJtLn Apple: https://a.vant.is/4hSX6c2 YouTube: https://a.vant.is/4kczKPS Follow us on social media: LinkedIn: https://a.vant.is/4gXL7Jd X: https://a.vant.is/4kfjHRD
S1 · E6
Jan 24, 2024 · 26 min
How Can We Overcome FOMO?
Fear of missing out, or FOMO, is something we can face in many different aspects of our lives. Whether it’s our investment portfolio, our social lives, our career status, and so on, we often compare ourselves against others and feel regret or fear when it seems like they are doing better than we are. On this episode, our focus is on why we face FOMO as investors and what we might be able to do about it. First, we speak with Professor Shai Davidai of Columbia Business School on his work into different forms of regret that may arise when we feel we are missing out and how this can ultimately affect what we learn and the decisions we make in the future. Our second discussion is with Blaine Lourd, a veteran of the financial advisory business and founder and CEO of LourdMurray. Blaine takes us through how he’s witnessed FOMO in his clients and how he goes about helping them through it. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you on the topic of FOMO in investing. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com. Important Disclosures The views expressed in this presentation are the speaker’s own and not necessarily those of American Century Investments. This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to provide investment, tax or legal advice or recommendations for any particular situation or type of retirement plan. Please consult with a financial, tax or legal advisor on your own particular circumstances. Hal Hershfield is not affiliated with American Century Investments.
S1 · E5
Jan 10, 2024 · 27 min
How Can We Keep Our Financial Resolutions?
Have you ever failed to stick with a New Year’s resolution? Chances are that’s a ‘yes’. The truth is that most only last a few months. And just like those resolutions to go to the gym three times a week or cook more often, setting financial goals, such as saving more or spending less, can be difficult to maintain. Achieving our goals typically requires self-discipline. But what can we do to increase self-regulation and resist temptation when it comes to our financial decisions? That’s the topic of this episode. In search of insights, we speak with Professor Johanna Peetz of Carleton University, who has done fascinating research on self-regulation tactics with respect to financial goals. She offers her findings on what seems to work best. We also talk with Max Kayajanian, CFP, a wealth advisor with the Wealth Enhancement Group. He shares tactics he offers to his clients, both younger and older, to help them stay on course with their financial plans. If you enjoy the show, please let us know by giving our series a five-star rating. We’d also love to hear from you on this topic of age and financial decision making. To join in on the discussion, send us a note at BehavioralDivide@AvantisInvestors.com.

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