Axton Betz-Hamilton

Education

Ph.D., Iowa State University, Human Development and Family Studies
M.S., Purdue University, Consumer Sciences and Retailing
B.S., Purdue University, Agricultural Economics

Graduate Certificates
Family Financial Planning, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
College Teaching, Iowa State University

Academic Interests

Familial identity theft
Financial exploitation of older adults by family members
Taxation
Financial counseling

Expertise

Identity theft

Elder financial exploitation

Financial abuse within families

Financial therapy

Academic Responsibilities

Teaching responsibilities include:
Individual Financial Literacy (CA 110)
Consumer Needs and Program Funding (CA 321)
Family Financial Management I (CA 350)
Quantitative Research Methods and Lab (CA 360/CA 360L)
Financial Counseling and Debt Management (CA 375)
Financial Counseling Lab (CA 460)
Transition to the Professional World (CA/LMNO 487)
Seminar in Communication in Financial Planning (CA 517)
Personal Income Taxation (CA 735)

Committee Activities

Co-chair, Financial Literacy Task Force (SDSU)
Director, Housing Education and Research Association
Symposium Proceedings Editor, Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education
Chair, Student Task Force, Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education
Chair, Family Economics and Resource Management Community, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
Chair, Communications and Membership, South Dakota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

Advisor, Consumer Affairs student organization

Awards and Honors

South Dakota Humanities Council Scholar, 2021, 2022, 2023
Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, 2020
South Dakota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Outstanding Professional Award, 2019
Illinois Consumer Education Association, Gladys Bahr Award, 2018
Eastern Illinois University Achievement and Contribution Award, Teaching Category, 2016
Eastern Illinois University Office of Minority Affairs TRiO Faculty Mentor of the Year, 2015
National Council on Family Relations Affiliate Councils Board Meritorious Service Award, 2014
Eastern Illinois University Achievement and Contribution Award, Research Category, 2014
Illinois Jump$tart Coalition Educator Scholarship, 2014
Illinois Council on Family Relations Outstanding Service Award, 2013

Grants

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2022). Exploring familial identity theft victimization Through victim stories and case-related documents. South Dakota Humanities Council. ($1,238.00).

Betz-Hamilton, A., & Croymans, S. (2022). South Dakota-Minnesota healthy homes. National Healthy Homes Partnership Subgrant. ($17,998.00).

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2021). South Dakota healthy homes. National Healthy Homes Partnership Subgrant. ($13,536.00).

Vincenti, V., Betz-Hamilton, A., & Chapman, A. (2018-2021). Understanding elder family financial exploitation (EFFE): Identifying risk and protective factors. Kappa Omicron Nu New Initiatives Grant. ($9,000.00).

Vincenti, V. B., & Betz-Hamilton, A. E. (2018). Elder family financial exploitation: risk and protective factors within families. Phi Upsilon Omicron Alumni Research Grant. ($2,500.00).

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2018). Exploration of the risk and protective factors associated with elder family financial exploitation (EFFE). South Dakota State University Foundation Women and Giving Grant. ($1,200.00).

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2017). Understanding the experiences of familial identity theft: A pilot study. South Dakota State University Scholarly Excellence Funds. ($4,084.08).

Professional Memberships

Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education
Financial Planning Association
Financial Therapy Association
Housing Education and Research Association
American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

Work Experience

Dr. Betz-Hamilton's previous work experience includes faculty appointments at Eastern Illinois University, University of Wyoming, and Iowa Central Community College. She also has experience as a financial counselor, serving military members and their families.

Creative Activities

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2019). The less people know about us: A mystery of betrayal, family secrets, and stolen identity. New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing.

Area(s) of Research

Familial identity theft
Financial abuse of older adults by family members
Aging in place
Housing education

Applications of Research

Peer Reviewed Publications

Betz-Hamilton, A. (accepted). Student relationships in hybrid consumer affairs courses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2022). A comparison of the financial, emotional, and physical consequences of identity theft victimization among familial and non-familial victims. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 33 (2), 217-227. https://www.doi.org/10.1891/JFCP-2021-0014

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2022). Reporting behaviors of familiar identity theft victims: An empirical test of Black’s Theory of Law. Journal of Financial Crime. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-04-2022-0085

Betz-Hamilton, A. E., Stum, M. S., & Chan, A. C. Y. (2022). Elder family financial exploitation offenders: Examining the complexities of problematic behaviors. Victims and Offenders. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2022.2040068

Betz-Hamilton, A., & Rich, J. (2021). Preventing financial exploitation of older adults in South Dakota by family members: A qualitative pilot study exploring the role of financial powers of attorney. Journal of the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 16, 15-20. https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/assets/documents/journal/2021-jneafcs/Preventing%20Financial%20Exploitation%20of%20Older%20Adults%20in%20SD.pdf

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2021). Student perceptions of learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: An examination of hybrid, in-person, and online Consumer Affairs courses. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences Education, 38 (1), 13-23.

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2020). Understanding the experiences of familiar identity theft victims: A pilot study. Journal of Financial Therapy, 11 (1). doi: 10.4148/1944-9771.1237

Betz-Hamilton, A. E. (2020). A phenomenological study on parental perpetrators of child identity theft. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 31(2), 219-228. http://doi.org/10.1891/JFCP-19-00001

Betz-Hamilton, A. E., Brooks, L., & O’Neill, B. (2019). Savings, investments, emergency funds, and cash flow: Are they related to positive health behaviors? Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 111(3), 31-37. doi: 10.14307/JFCS111.3.31

Betz-Hamilton, A.E., & Vincenti, V. B. (2018). Risk factors within families associated with elder financial exploitation (EFE) by relatives with powers of attorney (POA). Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 110(1), 19-27. doi: 10.14307/JFCS110.1.19

Vincenti, V., Browne, L., Betz-Hamilton, A., & Jasper, C. R. (2013/14). Clues to the power of attorney-based elder financial abuse within the family system. Journal of Consumer Education, 30, 45-58.

Tell, D., & Betz, A. E. (2012). Housing issues and solutions for the residents on the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota. Journal of Consumer Education, 29, 70-74.

Walters, W. & Betz, A. E. (2012). Medical identity theft. Journal of Consumer Education, 29, 75-79.

Betz, A. (2009). Child identity theft and the need for consumer education. Journal of Consumer Education, 26, 45-57.

Works in Edited Volumes

Betz-Hamilton, A. E., & Zurlo, K. (2019). Financial abuse and victimization of older adults. In C. Callahan & J. Frey (Eds). Handbook on Financial Social Work and Clinical Implications (pp. 26-37).

Teaster, P. B., Vincenti, V., Betz-Hamilton, A., Bolkan, C., & Jasper, C. (2019). Themes from elder financial exploitation by family member powers of attorney. In K.P. Lyness & J.L. Fischer (Eds.) Gender, Sexual Identity, and Families: The Personal is Political. Ann Arbor, MI: MPublishing, University of Michigan Library. doi: 10.3998/groves.9453087.0005.001

Betz-Hamilton, A. E. (2016). Crime and families. In C. Shehan (Ed.), The Wiley Blackwell encyclopedia of family studies (pp.473-477). Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell.

Betz-Hamilton, A. E., & Nagarajan, A. (2016). Economic distress. In C. Shehan (Ed.), The Wiley Blackwell encyclopedia of family studies (pp. 615-619). Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell.

McGuire, M., & Betz-Hamilton, A. E. (2016). Engagement. In C. Shehan (Ed.), The Wiley Blackwell encyclopedia of family studies (pp. 647-648). Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell.

Betz, A. (2014). Website security. In W. Reiboldt & M. Horn Mallers (Eds.), Consumer survival: An encyclopedia of consumer rights, safety, and protection (pp. 879-881). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

Betz, A., & Lucas, L. B. (2014). Identity theft: Child. In W. Reiboldt & M. Horn Mallers (Eds.), Consumer survival: An encyclopedia of consumer rights, safety, and protection (pp. 520-522). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

Betz, A., & Walters, W. (2014). Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. In W. Reiboldt & M. Horn Mallers (Eds.), Consumer survival: An encyclopedia of consumer rights, safety, and protection (pp. 489-491). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

Selected Conference Proceedings and Refereed Abstracts

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2020, November). A comparison of the financial, emotional, and physical consequences of identity theft victimization among familial and non-familial victims. Proceedings of the 2020 Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education Symposium.

Mielitz, K. S., Betz-Hamilton, A., Gatti, M., Li, N., Page, P,…& Xiao, J. J. (2020). Research snapshots: Telling the research story in 3 minutes with 1 slide. Proceedings of the 2020 Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education Symposium.

Betz-Hamilton, A., & O’Neill, B. (2020, November). So you want to write a personal finance book? a primer on publishing and promoting your future book. Proceedings of the 2020 Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education Symposium.

Betz-Hamilton, A. (2020, October). Comparing the homeownership status of familial and non-familial identity theft victims. Refereed abstract accepted for the 2020 Housing Education and Research Association conference (Conference postponed to October 2021 due to COVID-19).

Betz-Hamilton, A., & Rich, J. (2019, November). Successful family member POA agent implementation: Estate planning experiences in South Dakota. Proceedings of the 2019 Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education Symposium.

Betz-Hamilton, A., & O’Neill, B. (2019, November). Golden nuggets and nuisances of credit report policies: Stories from the field. Proceedings of the 2019 Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education Symposium.