Key Finding # 1: Although most consumers say they want to “make decisions” on their own, consumer appetite for “seeking input from various sources” has increased to an all-time high. Meanwhile, preference for delegation has decreased to an all-time low, especially among investors with $2M+.
1.1: Investment Decision Process Preference: National, by Year
1.2: Investment Decision Process Preference: by Lifestage, 2020
1.3: Investment Decision Process Preference: by Lifestage, by Year
1.4: Investment Decision Process Preference: by Assets, by Year
1.5: Investment Decision Process Preference by Store: 2020
1.6: Crosstab of Investment Decision Process Preference by Reliance on Financial Professionals (excluding Accountants): National, 2020
1.7: Sources for Investment Information and Advice – Reliance on Myself, by Investment Decision Process Preference: National, by Year
1.8: Mean Count of Sources for Investment Information and Advice (excluding Myself) by Investment Decision Process Preference: National, by Year
1.9: Investment Decision Process Preference, Among Consumers Who Use Paid Investment Professionals as Primary/Usual Sources of Investment Information and Advice: by Year
1.10: Investment Decision Process Preference, Among Consumers Who Use Other Financial Professionals as Primary/Usual Sources of Investment Information and Advice: by Year
Key Finding # 2: All sources of investing information and advice show declines in reliance year-over-year as consumers consolidate focus. Relying on multiple sources, however, is the predominant behavior today in contrast to prior years.
2.1: Count of Sources for Investment Information and Advice – Reliance: National, 2010-2020
2.2: Count of Sources for Investment Information and Advice – Reliance: by Lifestage, 2020
2.3: Sources for Investment Information and Advice – Reliance: National, by Year
2.4: Sources for Investment Information and Advice – Reliance on Spouse/Partner: National, 2020
2.5: Sources for Information and Advice – Reliance on Financial Professionals: National, by Year
2.6: Sources for Information and Advice – Reliance on Financial Professionals: National, by Year
2.7: Sources for Information and Advice With Degree of Reliance – Paid Investment Professional NET*: National, by Year
2.8: Sources for Investment Information and Advice – Reliance, Go-To/Primary: by Generation, 2020
2.9: Sources for Information and Advice – Paid Investment Professionals*: by Investable Assets, by Year
2.10: Sources for Investment Information and Advice – Paid Investment Professionals*, Go-To/Primary: by Investable Assets, by Year
2.11: Sources for Information and Advice With Degree of Reliance – Employer*: National, by Year
2.12: Sources for Information and Advice With Degree of Reliance – Employer*: by Generation, by Year
2.13: Sources for Information and Advice With Degree of Reliance – Employer*: by Lifestage, 2020
2.14: Sources for Information and Advice With Degree of Reliance – Online*: National, by Year
2.15: Sources for Information and Advice with Degree of Reliance – Online*: by Lifestage, by Year
2.16: Sources of Information and Advice with Degree of Reliance – Online*: by Investable Assets, by Year
Key Finding # 3: Online investment information activities related to content like videos, webcasts, planning tools and calculators are growing faster than activities related to transactions.
3.1: Count of Online Investment Information and Advice Activities: National, by Year
3.2: Online Investment Information Activities by Device: National, 2020
3.3: Online Investment Information Activities (Net Any Device): National, by Year
3.4: Online Investment Information Activities (Net Any Device), Among Households with $2M+ In Investable Assets: by Year
3.5: Online Investment Information and Advice Activities (Net Any) by Device Type: National, by Year
3.6: Involvement in Online Banking and Payments by Device: National, 2018-2020
3.7: Use Financial Planning Tools / Calculators by Device: National, by Year
3.8: Use Financial Planning Tools / Calculators by Device: by Generation, by Year
3.9: Use Financial Planning Tools / Calculators by Device: by Investable Assets, 2020
3.10: Use Financial Planning Tools / Calculators by Device: by Generation, by Investable Assets, 2020
3.11: Crosstab of Attitude “I enjoy thinking about money” by Use Financial Planning Tools / Calculators by Device: National, 2019
3.12: Crosstab of Attitude “I am on track to accumulating the savings I'll need to retire” by Use Financial Planning Tools / Calculators by Device: National, 2020
3.13: Crosstab of New Need “Teaching me about investing” by Use Financial Planning Tools / Calculators by Device: National, 2019
3.14: Crosstabs of Select Goals by Use Financial Planning Tools / Calculators by Device: National, 2020
Key Finding # 4: The majority of affluent consumers blend advice from financial professionals and online sources.
4.1: Use Both Any Financial Professional and Online as Sources for Investment Information and Advice: National, by Year
4.2: Use Both Any Financial Professional and Online as Sources for Investment Information and Advice: by Age, by Investable Assets, 2020
4.3: How Blend Advice from Any Financial Professional & Online: National, 2020
4.4: How Blend Advice from Any Fin Pro & Online – Do Integrate Advice from Any Fin Pro & Online: 2020
4.5: How Blend Advice from Any Fin Pro & Online – “Do my own research first on the internet, then call or visit a financial professional or branch to validate my findings” by Respondent Age, by Investable Assets, 2020
4.6: How Blend Advice from Any Fin Pro & Online – “Use the Internet to monitor accounts that are managed by my financial professional”: 2020
4.7: How Blend Advice from Any Fin Pro & Online – “Let financial professionals make decisions for me, but double check their decisions using the Internet”: by Respondent Age, by Investable Assets, 2020
4.8: How Blend Advice from Any Fin Pro & Online – “Manage some accounts on my own with the internet; hire financial professionals to manage others”: by Respondent Age, by Investable Assets, 2020