Financial psychology is the study and application of psychological theories, methods, and practices to the areas of personal finance and financial services. The field takes into account two areas. First, financial psychology includes how each of us relates to and makes decisions about money. In other words, financial psychology includes what psychologists refer to as “individual differences” in money-related behaviors and decisions. Second, financial psychology covers the client-advisor relationship, that is, the application of psychology …
As the full impact of COVID-19 continues to unveil itself in the financial services industry, many advisors we are hearing from have begun to plan for a long-term remote practice. If you are contemplating a similar shift for the future, it is important to understand the limitations of the methods you used in the past to get to know prospects. Two of these methods, (a) judgment based on direct interaction and (b) forms with …
Like economics, financial planning, or psychology, there is a science to communication. Research-backed methods exist for sharing information with others, particularly in times of chaos or a crisis. As many of you probably have experienced during preceding days, there are excellent examples of letters, email messages, and social media posts that are both informative and comforting. See great examples from Radix Financial or this local business message to customers, Tap & Six. Likewise, there have …
Few would argue that the relationship between our financial psychology and the decisions we make about money-related matters is weak. Many of us know what the “right” answer is when it comes to our saving, spending, and investing behaviors, but the translation from what we know we should do and what we do can be quite different. In some cases, our unique behaviors or patterns of behaviors are causing stress and strains in other …
If you have ever taken a quiz entitled “How to tell if your boyfriend is cheating on you” or “Answer these five questions to learn to see if you’re a good friend,” then you’ve probably taken something akin to what we call a “Cosmo test.” Your answers to just a few questions will result in a detailed analysis of your personality, along with a lengthy set of advice on improving your life (or a …