David A. Littell, JD, ChFC^®, CFP^®

Director of the New York Life Center for Retirement Income
Joseph E. Boettner Chair in Research
Professor of Taxation

In this position, he is responsible for course and textbook development for HS 326: Planning for Retirement Needs and HS 352: Financial Decisions for Retirement. He is also responsible for HS 350: Understanding the Older Client, and serves as the coordinator for the CASL^® program. As a professor, his responsibilities include: writing books, study guides, website content, audio and video reviews, exam preparation, teaching course materials to students, and consulting with students in exam preparation.

Professor Littell is the co-creator of the RICP designation and was involved in the creation of its three courses: HS 353: Retirement Income Process, Strategies, and Solutions; HS 354: Sources of Retirement Income; and HS 355: Managing the Retirement Income Plan.

He speaks regularly to financial advisors and benefits professionals on pensions, retirement planning, and working with older clients. Active in the field of adult education, Professor Littell has been an instructor at the Philadelphia Institute, teaching various employee benefit topics and legal research, and has taught courses that are part of the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist program.

Professor Littell has also co-authored several books associated with American College courses: Planning for Retirement Needs, Financial Decision Making at Retirement, and The Practitioner's Guide to Advanced Pension Topics. He has published numerous articles for periodicals such as the Journal of Financial Service Professionals, FOCUS, Compensation and Benefits Management, and Benefits Quarterly. In 1997, Professor Littell won an Article Award from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. He also has served on several CFP^® item writing committee groups for the CFP Board of Examiners and has served as champion for both the RICP and the CASL designations, considering curriculum and requirements for both designations.

A native of Chicago, Professor Littell holds a BA degree in psychology from Northwestern University and earned his JD at the Boston University School of Law. Professor Littell, who resides in Ardmore, PA, is also actively involved in the sport of fencing. He was a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic Fencing Team and was a fencing coach at Haverford College from 1999 to 2006.