How does scarcity uniquely inform the financial motives and outcomes of middle-class, non-retired households?

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of Human Ecology-Personal Financial PlanningMaurice M. MacDonaldThe 2016 Survey of Consumer Finances was used to investigate the impact of scarcity on the savings motives and debt of middle-class, non-retired households. This project adds to financial planning literature by incorporating previously unobserved variables, financial and time scarcity, in financial decision-making. Its use of the scarcity lens has also provided new insights for serving the middle-class with financial planning. Middle-class household decision-making was impacted by financial and time scarcity. Objective financial scarcity was related to increased odds of saving for basic needs and negatively related to saving for retirement. Objective financial scarcity was negatively associated with household debt, which can be attributed to credit constraints lenders want. Subjective financial scarcity was negatively associated with saving for retirement and at the same time positively associated with saving for esteem or luxury. Objective time scarcity was positively related to higher levels of household debt. Subjective time scarcity had a significant but mixed relationship with household debt. Financial planners and financial counselors working with the middle-class should consider the impact of scarcity for managing debt and shaping goals that will influence saving for retirement

Practical Design Guidelines For Replacement of Deficient Bridges With Low-Water Stream Crossings In The Rural Midwest

Abstract The use of a low-water crossing may be an economically viable option to replace a structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridge. Rural counties generally cannot afford to replace all deficient bridges and must prioritize their expenditures. In many locations the traffic volume is too low to justify the expense of bridge replacement. This situation is worsening as the rural population declines. Some counties are closing low-volume roads rather than replacing deficient bridges. In some locations a low-water stream crossing might be a practical low-cost alternative to road closure. This thesis provides guidance to county officials and engineers on assessing the practicality of replacing a deficient bridge with a low-water crossing and selection of the best type of crossing. This report investigates several different types of low-water stream crossings and their usefulness in Kansas. A site assessment procedure is provided to rule out any type of low-water stream crossing that would be inadvisable in a particular location. A preliminary investigation and consultation with applicable permitting agencies and which type of permit to obtain for low-water stream crossing projects is outlined in this report. Guidance on designing a low-water stream crossing is included. Nine case studies of five different types of low-water crossing projects in Kansas within the last ten years are thoroughly documented accompanied by a summary of their importance. A lessons-learned section summarizes useful observations collected from county officials, regulatory personnel, and engineering consultants. To conclude the report, a summary of important information regarding LWSC projects is provided

Siblings, Family Systems Theory, Guardianship, and Restoring the Triad

Special needs estate planning introduces additional complexity, including the need to plan for ongoing caregiving after members of the parents’ generation have passed. This caregiving role is often left to siblings. (Brandy, Burke, Landon, Oertle, 2018). The sibling relationship has not been well-studied in this context, and the relationship dynamic has become more complex as families have changed in recent years (Sanner & Jensen, 2021). The overall goal of the paper is to discuss alternatives for structuring caretaking (e.g., conservatorship, guardianship, supported decision-making) that may restore the triad relationship, i.e., the strongest relationship identified in Family Systems Theory through which stress or friction may be resolved (Gale & Muruthi, 2017), and how to have these conversations with clients as they make guardianship plans

Female Breadwinners, Money and Shame: How Financial Planners Can Help

Women who earn more than their male spouses, in a heterosexual relationship, are a growing underrepresented group. Some female breadwinners feel shame related to the reversal of traditional gender roles. These feelings of shame can interfere with the financial planning process. Five interventions are provided as examples of how financial planners, financial therapists, or financial counselors and other financial professionals can help female breadwinners with shame issues. Whether a planner uses one of these interventions, some other intervention, or no intervention at all will depend on their training and level of competence. Using an intervention can help a female breadwinner deal with shame and progress in the financial planning process

The Money Scripts Related to the Use and Trust of Investment Advice

This study examines the association between four money scripts (i.e., money avoidance, money worship, money status, and money vigilance) and the use of investment advice and trust in that advice from a variety of sources (i.e., family and friends, financial software, financial professionals, and one’s own research). Using primary data, we found that money avoidance was negatively associated with trust in professional financial advice. Money worship is positively associated with receiving investment advice from financial software and doing one’s own research. Money status was negatively associated with trusting one\u27s own research. Money vigilance was positively associated with using a financial professional for investment advice and trusting advice from a financial professional and family and friends. This study\u27s findings provide implications for financial professionals and researchers focused on helping consumers with different money attitudes seek investment advice, utilizing narrative financial therapy and financial education

Promoting Inclusion in Your Practice for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Clients: Utilizing the Inclusive Financial Well-being Empowerment Model

Despite increasing attention to cultural humility and inclusivity for financial therapy, mental health, and financial practitioners, little is written about the best practices for working with transgender and gender non-conforming (GNC) clients. This theoretical paper will review these best practices and will present a hypothetical financial therapy case study that utilizes the Inclusive Financial Well-being Empowerment Model (IFWEM). The goal of this work is to introduce practitioners to the best practices for working with transgender and GNC clients in an inclusive and empowering way and to promote future data-driven research for this population

Mechanism for modulation of gating of connexin26-containing channels by taurine

The mechanisms of action of endogenous modulatory ligands of connexin channels are largely unknown. Previous work showed that protonated aminosulfonates (AS), notably taurine, directly and reversibly inhibit homomeric and heteromeric channels that contain Cx26, a widely distributed connexin, but not homomeric Cx32 channels. The present study investigated the molecular mechanisms of connexin channel modulation by taurine, using hemichannels and junctional channels composed of Cx26 (homomeric) and Cx26/Cx32 (heteromeric). The addition of a 28–amino acid “tag” to the carboxyl-terminal domain (CT) of Cx26 (Cx26T) eliminated taurine sensitivity of homomeric and heteromeric hemichannels in cells and liposomes. Cleavage of all but four residues of the tag (Cx26Tc) resulted in taurine-induced pore narrowing in homomeric hemichannels, and restored taurine inhibition of heteromeric hemichannels (Cx26Tc/Cx32). Taurine actions on junctional channels were fully consistent with those on hemichannels. Taurine-induced inhibition of Cx26/Cx32T and nontagged Cx26 junctional channels was blocked by extracellular HEPES, a blocker of the taurine transporter, confirming that the taurine-sensitive site of Cx26 is cytoplasmic. Nuclear magnetic resonance of peptides corresponding to Cx26 cytoplasmic domains showed that taurine binds to the cytoplasmic loop (CL) and not the CT, and that the CT and CL directly interact. ELISA showed that taurine disrupts a pH-dependent interaction between the CT and the CT-proximal half of the CL. These studies reveal that AS disrupt a pH-driven cytoplasmic interdomain interaction in Cx26-containing channels, causing closure, and that the Cx26CT has a modulatory role in Cx26 function

Regulation of connexin- and pannexin-based channels by post-translational modifications

Connexin (Cx) and pannexin (Panx) proteins form large conductance channels, which function as regulators of communication between neighbouring cells via gap junctions and/or hemichannels. Intercellular communication is essential to coordinate cellular responses in tissues and organs, thereby fulfilling an essential role in the spreading of signalling, survival and death processes. The functional properties of gap junctions and hemichannels are modulated by different physiological and pathophysiological stimuli. At the molecular level, Cxs and Panxs function as multi-protein channel complexes, regulating their channel localisation and activity. In addition to this, gap junctional channels and hemichannels are modulated by different post-translational modifications (PTMs), including phosphorylation, glycosylation, proteolysis, N-acetylation, S-nitrosylation, ubiquitination, lipidation, hydroxylation, methylation and deamidation. These PTMs influence almost all aspects of communicating junctional channels in normal cell biology and pathophysiology. In this review, we will provide a systematic overview of PTMs of communicating junction proteins and discuss their effects on Cx and Panx-channel activity and localisation