Michael Finke

Ransom Canyon

Contributing Editor at Think Advisor.com

Investments/retirement professor & Frank M. Engle Chair of Economic Security at The American College. Contributing Editor, Investment Advisor Magazine.

Featured in: Favicon

wsj.com

wiley.com

investopedia.com Favicon

marketwatch.com Favicon

tandfonline.com Favicon

nasdaq.com Favicon

broadwayworld.com Favicon

kiplinger.com Favicon

investmentnews.com Favicon

thinkadvisor.com + 9 more

Articles

Sylph Editions | C40 Flight

Nov 7, 2024 | sylpheditions.com | Michael Finke

Deskbound and myopic, ever since his childhood author Michael Finke has dreamt of flight. After decades as a university professor whose secret vice was to spend weekends soaring in light planes and gliders, he came across little-studied writings of leading Russian authors of the 1920s who, at the direction of Soviet authorities, engaged aviation as a signal promise of progress in Bolshevik Russia – another dream asking to be translated into reality.
Which Strategy Wins the Retirement Spending 'Smackdown'?

Jul 22, 2024 | thinkadvisor.com | John Manganaro |Michael Finke

What You Need to KnowDifferent approaches stand out for different reasons, experts agree, but flexibility is key. Some methods are easier to understand, but they are often more rigid and hard to follow in practice. Researchers David Blanchett and Michael Finke prefer responsiveness and more guarantees. Retirement income planning has moved far beyond the traditional 4% withdrawal rule.
Want to Double Spending in Retirement? Annuities Can Help

Jun 28, 2024 | thinkadvisor.com | John Manganaro |David Blanchett |Michael Finke

What You Need to KnowAt the heart of the analysis is the fundamental tradeoff that unknown longevity presents. The mental transition to decumulation means that retirees without guarantees can significantly underspend. Additional research should explore some of the explanations for conserving wealth in retirement, Michael Finke and David Blanchett suggest.
Rethinking Lifespan And Lifestyle

Mar 3, 2024 | lifehealth.com | Michael Finke

How to throw out a concrete planning horizon to better handle longevity Michael Finke, Ph.D., CFP® is IncomePath’s Chief Strategist and is also a professor and Frank M. Engle Chair of Economic Security at The American College of Financial Services. He leads the Granum Center for Financial Security.
Supernerds: Ramsey’s Been Wrong on Retirement Income for a Decade, but It Matters More Today

Feb 6, 2024 | thinkadvisor.com | John Manganaro |Michael Finke |David Blanchett

Sequence of Returns Risk Is FundamentalWhile it can be a challenging topic to teach clients, the researchers agreed, the issue of sequence of returns risk is incredibly important (and potentially powerful) in the planning effort.
Is Underspending a Fiduciary Problem?

Jan 22, 2024 | advisorperspectives.com | Michael Finke

There is debate about whether fees or commissions lead to better outcomes for retirement savers. But one aspect that hasn’t been discussed enough is that the loss of welfare from underspending is likely much higher than from choosing one or the other fee method. Unspent savings is an ignored fiduciary problem. In his amazing book on retirement-income analysis, Bill Sharpe evaluates retirement spending strategies using a pie chart that shows how big a slice goes to spending, bequests, and fees.
Ken Fisher Can't Have It All

Jan 16, 2024 | feeds.feedblitz.com | Michael Finke

Can a fiduciary liquidate an annuity for an IRR above what an advisor could construct from a bond ladder net of fees to a client’s average expected longevity? This isn’t an esoteric question. Many advisors would liquidate the annuity. Rationales could include the possibility that $50,000 invested in stocks might outperform net of fees, or that the retiree bears some risk that the insurer could default.
Can Ken Fisher Have It All?

Jan 16, 2024 | thinkadvisor.com | Michael Finke

What You Need to KnowThe RIA famously argues that anything that can be done with annuities can be done better with other investment products. From an academic perspective, total refusal to recommend an annuity is not in the best interest of retirees. While consumers are benefiting overall from the shift to fee-based compensation, it does create conflicts of its own. Ken Fisher has mounted one of the most successful attacks on a single financial product in history.
Supernerds Unite Against Dave Ramsey’s 8% Safe Withdrawal Rate Guidance

Nov 13, 2023 | thinkadvisor.com | David Blanchett |Michael Finke |Wade Pfau

Dave Ramsey is not a fan of safe withdrawal rate researchers. In a recent podcast episode, he blasted them for being “supernerds” who “live in their mother’s basement with a calculator.” When told about these quotes, one of our spouses (who knows all three of us well) replied “well, you don’t live in your mother’s basement.” Ramsey’s math is simple.
Understanding Annuity Mortality Credits

Oct 5, 2023 | protectedincome.org | Michael Finke

This paper examines how retirees can spend more money each year in retirement by pooling the risk of an unknown lifespan with other retirees through an annuity – a benefit that is often described as a mortality credit. Obtaining mortality credits through the purchase of an annuity allows retirees to improve their lifestyle and worry less about the risk of outliving savings.