This Research Handbook serves as a comprehensive guide to personal finance, providing a historical overview of the field and highlighting the importance of financial wellbeing. Expert authors bring an international perspective to modern financial issues including proactive decision-making, financial socialization and trust, presenting a fresh take on this expanding landscape.

Contributors analyze the evolution of financial planning and financial goals, extending beyond traditional assessments to consider behavioral biases and psychological influences. They explore debates surrounding ethics, cultural and gender considerations, wellbeing, retirement savings, as well as theoretical considerations such as the individualization of savings and investments. Chapters emphasize emerging trends including fintech and artificial intelligence, and examine life-cycle planning, tax strategies and financial literacy. With both academic and practitioner perspectives, this Research Handbook examines the evolving preferences of consumers and clients.

Adopting an interdisciplinary approach that integrates economics, psychology, behavioral finance and policy analysis, this Research Handbook is a vital resource for scholars and students of financial economics and regulation, economics and finance, and banking. Financial planning practitioners and policymakers will also benefit from the summary of best practices.