Stephen Zeldes

Stephen P. Zeldes is the Benjamin M. Rosen Professor of Economics and Finance at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business.  He served as chair of the school’s Finance and Economics division from 2014-17.  

In his research, Professor Zeldes has examined a wide range of applied issues in both macroeconomics and household finance, including saving behavior, social security reform, pension policy, retirement account portfolio choices, and annuitization and retirement security.  His research has been published in the leading academic journals.  Professor Zeldes’ teaching includes courses in macroeconomics, an interdisciplinary course titled “The Psychology and Economics of Consumer Finance,” and a class titled “FinTech: Consumer Financial Services.”  In 2012, he was a recipient of the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence in a Core Course, and in 2013 he received the Dean’s Award for Innovation in the Curriculum.  

Professor Zeldes is a Research Associate and co-director of the Working Group on Household Finance at the National Bureau of Economic Research.  He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Pension Research Council, a fellow at the TIAA-CREF Institute, and a member of the New York City Retirement Security Study Group (formed by the Comptroller in 2015).  Prior to joining the Columbia faculty in 1996, Zeldes was a Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  He received his PhD in economics from MIT in 1984 and his bachelor’s degree in economics and applied mathematics from Brown University in 1978.

Education

• PhD MIT (1980 — 1984)
• Sc.B. Brown University (1974 — 1978)

Companies

• Benjamin M. Rosen Professor of Finance and Economics Columbia Business School (1996)
• Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor The Wharton School (1984 — 1996)