Derek Tharp is the founder and president of Tharp Insurance Solutions, LLC. Derek is an insurance and financial planning expert. He has been quoted in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. His research has been published in academic journals such as Journal of Financial Planning, Journal of Retirement, Financial Planning Review, Journal of Personal Finance, and Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning. Derek blogs regularly at the Wall Street Journal’s Experts Blog and Kitces.com. Derek Tharp also works as an assistant professor of finance and is the lead researcher at Kitces.com. He is passionate about helping individuals finding the right insurance and annuity products to protect their financial security.

Derek lives in the Portland, ME area with his wife, daughter, and their black lab, Eli. He loves to go hiking with his family and explore all of the wonderful nature that is available in Maine. Derek is originally from the Cedar Rapids, IA area and regularly visits family and clients in the area.