The Academy of Financial Services is hosting the annual Advanced Research in Financial Planning Conference in Columbus, Ohio (USA), from September 18 - 20, 2024, with this year's theme “Future Focused Research in Financial Planning”. This international meeting of researchers, practitioners, graduate students and leaders of financial planning practice and services provides a showcase for rigorous, relevant research within financial planning, as well as disciplines that directly or indirectly relate to the financial planning body of knowledge or financial planning practice.

The AFS Conference Committee welcomes completed papers on topics that relate directly or indirectly to the future of financial planning practice/the financial planning body of knowledge. Abstracts will not be considered as sufficient for submission. 

This year, there will also be an opportunity for researchers to present a research pitch in a 'shark tank' style event. This event allows researchers to deliver a 5-minute research pitch using no more than 3 slides, with 5 minutes Q & A from the audience who will vote on the research they think has the most merit/is most relevant to financial planners. Papers for research pitch submissions should not be for completed research , but a future research 'idea', and should follow a research proposal format.

Panel discussions will be selected from submissions that focus on a particular theme or topic. For example, financial planning technology, financial planning education, financial planning process, financial planning standards.

Authors will have the opportunity to indicate their preference if the paper should be presented by Poster, Presentation, Pitch, or a Panel Discussion. Important dates are as follows:

• March 1, 2024: Submissions will open
• May 31, 2024: Submission deadline (completed manuscripts and pitches)
• July 15, 2024: Primary contact person on all submissions will be notified if their paper is accepted for Poster, Presentation, Pitch or Panel Discussion.
• August 1, 2024: At minimum one presenting author must be registered for the Conference (see below on Hybrid Conference). 

JOURNAL DUAL SUBMISSION:

Authors will have the opportunity to dually submit completed papers for consideration not only for the conference, but to be featured in a future issue of leading academic journals in Financial Planning, including but not limited to the Financial Services Review (AFS), the Financial Planning Research Journal (FAAA Australia), the Journal of Financial Planning (FPA USA) and the Financial Planning Review (CFP Board), allowing the selection of their first and second choice Journals for consideration.

This year,  there will be a special session on Best Practices in Teaching Financial Planning. Papers submitted for this session will be considered for a Special Issue in the Financial Services Review.

HYBRID VIRTUAL & FACE-TO-FACE CONFERENCE:

The Academy of Financial Services is proud to have academic, student and practitioner members and Board of Directors members from multiple countries – USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and more. In respect of our international membership and concerns about climate change, we offer a hybrid research conference to support both face-to-face attendance in Columbus, Ohio and virtual attendance of both presenters and attendees.

To cater for international time differences, AFS hopes to schedule presentations from New Zealand and Australia at 8:00am local-Sydney/3PM Columbus time and presentations from the UK at 3:00pm local (GMT) and 8:00am Columbus time. Sessions will be recorded to allow attendees to access sessions that are not streamed at suitable times in their location, at their own convenience.  As a result of the hybrid format, we welcome submissions and participation from our colleagues globally. The Conference Committee is working with CFP® affiliates in Canada, Australia and elsewhere to ensure maximum exposure of research to practitioners.    

2024 DOCTORAL PROGRAM 

The AFS encourages submissions from PhD students in Financial Planning and related disciplines and provides an opportunity to receive constructive critique on their research presentations. There will also be a dedicated Doctoral Session for students and junior faculty to gain insights and ask questions on professional practice from more experienced faculty. 

2024 BEST PAPER AWARDS

The Academy of Financial Services is pleased to announce some generous best paper award opportunities for the AFS 2024 Conference. Additional detail on awards, will be announced shortly:

• The Academy of Financial Services Emerging Scholar Best Paper Award will recognize the faculty member in their first five years in a faculty position, tenure-track or not, with the best research paper that directly or indirectly relates to financial planning practice. Authors who are in their first five years of a faculty position, tenure-track or not and regardless of academic focus, are eligible for this award.

• Multiple Best Paper Awards that recognize the best papers that relate directly or indirectly to financial planning practice/financial planning body of knowledge/financial planning education.

• Best Poster/Paper Award recognizes the best paper presented through a Poster that relates directly or indirectly to financial planning practice/financial planning body of knowledge.

• Best Pitch Award recognizes the best 5-minute research pitch, presented 'shark-tank' style, and voted by attendees as most important/impactful for financial advisors and the future of financial planning practice.

SUBMISSION PROCESS 

Please submit your paper via the Academy of Financial Services (AFS) website which will contain a 2024 Annual Conference web page linked to a Submission Portal after March 1st. You will be required to upload a blind copy of the file in addition to a regular copy containing author information. The cover page of the regular copy should contain the names, addresses, and institutional affiliations of all authors with one author listed as the primary contact person. The blind copy should not contain any author identifying information on the file itself. The cover page of both versions should also list whether the submission should be considered for a paper/poster presentation, 5-minute 'shark-tank' research pitch, or panel discussion. Each submission will be reviewed anonymously by at least two peer reviewers.

For more information:

• Email: Conference@academyfinancial.org
• Visit: AFS Conference