EXPERTS AVAILABLE: Mizzou scholars available for Tax Day
March 6th, 2018
The views and opinions expressed in this “for expert comment” release are based on research and/or opinions of the researcher(s) and/or faculty member(s) and do not reflect the University’s official stance.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As Tax Day draws closer, people are eager to learn how to make better financial decisions. From students to retirees, every stage of life has its own financial challenges. The University of Missouri offers the following scholars with various areas of expertise available for stories about personal finance, taxes and investing in advance of April 17.
Paying taxes: Andrew Zumwalt, a certified financial planner, is an active promoter of financial education and an expert in tax preparation. He can discuss how consumers can optimize their tax returns and maximize their refunds. Zumwalt is co-director of the Office for Financial Success in the College of Human Environmental Sciences.
Understanding credit: Amy Schmitz is a consumer advocate who can discuss the steps consumers can take to protect their credit, educate themselves about credit card pitfalls and prevent identify theft. Schmitz is a professor of law and founder of MyConsumertips.info.
Managing risk: Abed Rabbani is a certified financial planner™ and an expert in financial planning and risk management. He oversees the online Investment Risk Tolerance Assessment, which is available here. He can discuss investment risk tolerance, insurance and retirement among consumers. Rabbani is an assistant professor in the Department of Personal Financial Planning, which is located in the College of Human Environmental Sciences.
Investing wisely: Michael O’Doherty is an expert in asset pricing and investments. He can help consumers make optimal portfolio choices, with a specific emphasis on how investors should account for uncertainty over future tax rates when making retirement savings decisions. O’Doherty is an associate professor in the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business.
Financial planning: John Howe is a behavioral finance expert who is able to discuss the psychological factors involved in financial decisions. He is the author of “The Foolish Corner: Avoiding Mind Traps in Personal Financial Decisions.” Howe is a professor of finance, the Missouri Bankers Chair and chair of the Department of Finance in the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business.
Planning for retirement: Rui Yao is an expert in personal financial planning. She can discuss financial risk tolerance, saving and investment behavior, and retirement preparation. She can also discuss gender differences in these areas. Yao is an associate professor in the Department of Personal Financial Planning, which is located in the College of Human Environmental Sciences.
For interviews with these or other Mizzou experts, please contact Austin Fitzgerald at (573) 882-6217 or fitzgeraldac@umsystem.edu