Dunham Named 2025 WealthManagement.com Industry Award Finalist for Thought-Provoking Retirement Research

Whitepaper, "Is Our Industry Prepared for Retirees' Longer Lifespans?", Authored by Salvatore M. Capizzi and Published by Dunham & Associates in February 2025, Warns of a Potentially Fatal Flaw in Traditional Retirement Planning

SAN DIEGO, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. ("Dunham" or "Dunham & Associates") proudly announces it has been named a finalist in the 2025 WealthManagement.com Industry Awards, in the "Asset Managers / Thought Leadership" category.

Dunham was selected in recognition of the whitepaper "Is Our Industry Prepared for Retirees' Longer Lifespans?", authored by Executive Vice President Salvatore M. Capizzi. Published in February 2025, the paper explores how the wealth management industry can evolve retirement planning strategies to help investors avoid headwinds from the mixture of longer lifespans and inflation.

Now in its 11^th year, the WealthManagement.com Industry Awards program recognizes organizations and individuals that support financial advisor success. A panel of judges comprised of top names in the industry, led by WealthManagement.com Director of Editorial Strategy and Operations David Armstrong, chose the finalists and will determine the winners. Awards will be presented to the winners at a gala in New York City on September 4, 2025.  

The whitepaper highlights a forecast by scientists predicting humans may live up to 120 to 130 years, and some predicting that the first person to live 150 years is alive today. Under that scenario, inflation, even at the 2% level the Federal Reserve is targeting, can deplete retirement assets. As an example, using FDA food inflation data, a couple retiring with $1 million could spend $2.7 million on food alone over a 50-year retirement. Mr. Capizzi provides a robust mathematical framework designed to help financial advisors better understand the unprecedented retirement planning complexities driven by extended lifespans and inflationary pressures.

"Longer lifespans and healthspans are a testament to medical progress and something to celebrate and marvel at—but unless our industry evolves, Americans could outlive their savings," said Salvatore M. Capizzi, Executive Vice President at Dunham & Associates and author of the whitepaper. "We created this whitepaper to educate financial professionals and help them adapt in this new era of retirement planning."

The whitepaper introduces thought-provoking concepts we believe will reframe and expand how financial professionals think about retirement, including:

• Retirement Investment Paradox™: Historically lower-risk portfolios may actually increase the risk of failure over extended retirements.
• Target Sustainability Rate: A new framework mapped out by Dunham explaining the minimum rates of return required for portfolio sustainability across multiple inflation scenarios. Mr. Capizzi demonstrates why "conservative" returns of 4% to 5% may be inadequate for retirees to meet expenses during up to 40 years or longer in retirement.
• Purpose-Oriented Portfolio Strategy: A transformative approach that replaces the "buckets" model with four distinct portfolios: Distribution, Flex, Healthcare, and Legacy. This framework helps align investment strategies with the specific needs of each retirement phase.

Download the full whitepaper here.

A Broader Commitment to Retirement Innovation

Dunham's commitment to challenging retirement planning norms for the benefit of investors also extends to the Dunham Retirement Income Program (DRIP). Launched in April 2024, DRIP is a comprehensive solution that equips financial advisors with the tools and resources needed to deliver a holistic retirement planning service for clients.

Dunham understands that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to retirement planning. That's why DRIP replaces the traditional "buckets" approach—frequently involving short-, medium-, and long-term buckets with different risk levels and exposures—by automating both income distribution and the de-risking process across four distinct portfolios: Distribution, Flex, Healthcare, and Legacy.

De-risking refers to moving equities from long-term to shorter-term portfolios when markets are high, helping to reduce risk over time.

At the core of DRIP's innovation is DunhamDC, the firm's proprietary algorithm, which was built to unemotionally adjust equity exposure inspired by  Warren Buffett's timeless guidance to "be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful." The DunhamDC overlay is designed to reduce the need for advisors to make frequent manual allocation changes or rely on emotional decision-making, aiming instead to provide a systematic and disciplined approach to retirement income management.  

"The Dunham Retirement Income Program disrupts traditional retirement planning by removing buckets, and the emotional decision-making that goes along with that approach, and replacing them with a strategy that clients can better understand and navigate," said Czarina Frias, Director of Marketing and Business Development. "We are proud that the wealth management industry has recognized what we have developed to help more Americans meet their financial goals in retirement, no matter how long they are able to enjoy being retired."

Visit dunham.com/FA/Pages/DunhamInsights to learn more.

About Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc.

Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc., with its affiliate Dunham Trust Company, is an accessible wealth management and trust firm that has been challenging the industry's thinking for nearly four decades. The company's differentiated investment strategies and approaches are designed to enhance the investment process by providing thoughtful solutions tailored to clients' needs, aiming to help clients navigate market complexities and work toward their financial goals. All investments involve risks, including the potential loss of principal.

Financial advisors can utilize Dunham's client service and asset allocation programs to optimize portfolio management based on client's needs. In addition to concierge back-office support, advisors can work with Dunham to create carefully constructed and balanced portfolios using a range of mutual fund strategies. The compensation of Dunham's sub-advisors is tied directly to the success of investments, reflecting the firm's commitment to accessibility, accountability, and fairness.

To learn more, please visit https://www.dunham.com/.

Media Contact:

JConnelly for Dunham
[email protected] 

Disclosures:

This communication is general in nature and provided for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be considered or relied upon as legal, tax or investment advice or an investment recommendation, or as a substitute for legal or tax counsel. Any investment products or services named herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered an offer to buy or sell, or an investment recommendation for, any specific security, strategy or investment product or service. Always consult a qualified professional or your own independent financial professional for personalized advice or investment recommendations tailored to your specific goals, individual situation, and risk tolerance. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes only.

For more information on Dunham DC and the Dunham Retirement Income Program, please visit https://www.dunham.com/FA/Pages/DunhamInsights .

About The Wealth Management Industry Awards
Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. was nominated as a finalist for the 2025 Wealth Management Industry Awards in the Thought Leadership subcategory for Asset Managers. The annual Wealth Management Industry Awards celebrate the companies, individuals and organizations that demonstrate outstanding achievement in support of financial advisor success. In evaluating entries, multiple factors were taken into consideration, including both quantitative measures, such as specific feature set, usage, potential, scope, scale, etc., along with qualitative measures such as innovation, creativity, new methods of deployment, etc. Compensation was not received from anyone in exchange for this nomination.

For more information on The Wealth Management Industry Awards, please visit
https://informaconnect.com/wealth-management-industry-awards/

Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. is a Registered Investment Adviser and Broker/Dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services and securities offered through Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc. Trust services offered through Dunham Trust Company, an affiliated Nevada Trust Company.

SOURCE Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc.