In the News

Even Good Calculators Have Trouble With RMD Math

John Manganaro, Sep 25, 2026

The results of Thorstenson’s analysis resonated with Laura Varas, CEO and founder of Hearts & Wallets, which recently rebranded to H&W....

Broadridge Bets E-Delivery Will Pay Off

Justine Ra, Aug 5, 2026

E-delivery has little to do with investor engagement despite how the industry frames it, said Laura Varas, founder and chief executive of Hearts & Wallets....

Get Used to Not Being Your Clients’ Only Wealth Manager

Griffin Kelly, Jul 30, 2026

As clients continue to adopt a more branched model of managing their finances, it might be something advisors just have to accept.

Ameriprise Financial Named a Top Performer™ in Hearts & Wallets Customer Satisfaction Survey for the Eighth Time

Apr 28, 2026

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) today announced it has once again earned high recognition in the 2026 Wants & Pricing Report from Hearts & Wallets, the independent research and benchmarking firm known for its deep analysis of consumer attitudes toward financial services...

Government Uncertainty Rattles Retirement Confidence: Survey

Jiselle Lee, Apr 21, 2026

Americans are concerned that changes made by the government will impact their ability to save for retirement, a new report shows....

Direxion Heads in a New Direction With Income ETFs

Emile Hallez, Apr 20, 2026

Data and benchmarking firm Hearts & Wallets found that people who own ETFs are more likely than others to want to earn income....

Eviction, Foreclosure Are Top Reasons for 401(k) Hardship Withdrawals

Beagan Wilcox Volz, Apr 10, 2026

"In an ideal world, retirement savings would be in a lockbox," said Laura Varas, chief executive officer and founder of Hearts & Wallets. But having the ability to tap one's retirement savings if needed is important, she said....

UBS Adds Recordkeeper Startup to Platform

Jiselle Lee, Mar 25, 2026

UBS Wealth Management will provide Human Interest's retirement recordkeeping services on its platform, the San Francisco-based firm announced Tuesday....

For Your (Tax) Health: The Underloved HSA

Emile Hallez, Mar 22, 2026

Few people (1%) have more than 10% of their overall portfolios in HSAs, though it is much more common among wealthier households, figures from data and benchmarking firm Hearts & Wallets indicate....

Fidelity Adds Models with a Taste of Private Markets

Emile Hallez, Mar 11, 2026

About a third of US investors with professionally advised assets say they prefer to have model portfolios built by advisors, per data from Hearts & Wallets....

Study finds more households move investable assets across firms

Ayo Mseka, Jan 29, 2026

An increasing number of households in the U.S. are moving investable assets across their financial stores, according to a market intelligence report by Hearts &Wallets. These totaled an estimated $1 trillion in rollovers last year, with new employer plans being an increasingly attractive rollover destination....

The $1 Trillion Advisors Keep Overlooking

Justin Giles, Jan 29, 2026

Last year, a record $1 trillion moved between retirement accounts, but advisors were involved in only about 22% of those transactions, according to data from research firm Hearts & Wallets....

Financial Advisors Drove Only 1 Out of 5 Rollovers in 2025

Alex Ortolani, Jan 22, 2026

Financial advisors continue to have a relatively limited role in advising clients on retirement savings rollovers, according to new data on money movement from research firm Hearts & Wallets....

Household Rollovers Reach New Heights

Valentina Baez, Jan 22, 2026

More U.S. households are moving investable assets, with rollovers reaching an estimated $1 trillion in 2025, according to research firm Hearts & Wallets....

‘Boomerang’ Wave: 401(k) to 401(k) Rollovers Double

Brian Ponte, Jan 21, 2026

Boomerang rollovers, or when assets move from a person's former workplace retirement plan directly into their new company's 401(k), have doubled since 2022, reaching an estimated $160 billion, according to a new report from Hearts & Wallets released today....

Employer Plans Challenging IRAs as Rollover Destination of Choice: Study

Ted Godbout, Jan 21, 2026

While most households still prefer to roll their employer-sponsored retirement savings to an IRA, a new study finds that employer plans are becoming an attractive rollover option, particularly as in-plan retirement income solutions improve....

Rollovers Hit $1 Trillion as Workers Move to Employer Plans

Amanda Umpierrez, Jan 21, 2026

U.S households moved an estimated $1 trillion in retirement plan rollovers in 2025, reports the latest findings out today from Hearts & Wallets....

Plan to Plan Rollovers Are Becoming More Popular

Jan 21, 2026

Financial Advisors Drove Only 1 Out of 5 Rollovers in 2025

Jan 21, 2026

Financial advisors continue to have a relatively limited role in advising clients on retirement savings rollovers, according to new data on money movement from Hearts & Wallets.

Growth In Money Movement, $1 Trillion In Rollovers And Lure Of New Employer Plans

Jan 21, 2026

A new report from Hearts & Wallets examines money movement, defined as significant recent or intended changes by households to allocations of investable assets across financial stores, which occur through rollovers, transfers of assets (TOAs), or trial of new stores through new deposits.

Investor use of online brokerage accounts, new investment techniques rises

Ayo Mseka, Dec 29, 2025

U.S. household awareness of investment products is at a 15-year high, with growing use of online brokerage accounts and relatively new investment techniques, such as crypto, ETFs, options trading and margin loans. This is according to Investment Products & Asset Managers 2025: Surging Awareness Creates New Competitive Opportunities in Brokerage and Managed Products, a report by Hearts & Wallets....

Top 10 Financial Services Firms for Customer Trust

Michael S. Fischer, Dec 5, 2025

American households are consolidating their relationships with retail saving and investing firms as one-stop shopping gathers momentum, Hearts & Wallets reported Wednesday....

Consolidation Surge: New top dog as Americans trim number of investment providers

Steve Randall, Dec 4, 2025

The report from Hearts & Wallets reveals that among affluent households in the $1 million-to-$5 million and $5 million-plus categories, the share of households using only a single provider rose to 22%, up 11 and 13 percentage points respectively....

Clients Want the Everything-Store Experience

Griffin Kelly, Dec 4, 2025

“Having only one firm is intriguing,” said Laura Varas, Hearts & Wallets’ CEO. “That means the firm must meet all the household’s needs for saving, retirement, investing, etc.”...

US Households Shift to One-Stop Shops: Report

Alyson Velati, Dec 3, 2025

U.S. households are consolidating the number of retail and investment firms they use and shifting to firms that offer a myriad of services, according to new research from Hearts & Wallets....

Industry Leaders Winning The Wallets And Hearts Of Retail Investors

Dec 3, 2025

U.S. households are consolidating their relationships with retail saving and investing firms as one-stop shopping gains traction, according to a new market intelligence report by Hearts & Wallets, the independent data and benchmarking firm that specializes in buying patterns in saving, investing and financial advice....

Retail investors embrace brokerage, ETFs, crypto as product awareness surges to new record

Steve Randall, Nov 21, 2025

Household familiarity with investment products climbs to 85%, fueling new growth paths for managers....

Surging Awareness Creates New Competitive Opportunities In Brokerage And Managed Products

Nov 19, 2025

A new report from Hearts & Wallets examines competitive consumer buying behaviors in saving and investing products, online brokerage and leading fund families.

There’s an ETF for Everything. Is That What Investors Really Want?

Emile Hallez, Nov 14, 2025

“This trend of levering up is really troubling,” said Laura Varas, CEO of consumer research firm Hearts & Wallets. “On one hand, you have a product like VTI (the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF), which is a way to democratize access to stock equity markets at a very low price point. On the other hand, you have this crazy proliferation of firecrackers that could blow up in your hand.”...

Asset Managers’ ‘Sweet Spot’ for 401(k) Growth

Daryl Perry, Oct 21, 2025

Asset managers that struggle with brand awareness among end shareholders could focus on establishing "good partnerships" with the mid-market segment of plan sponsors, and with retirement aggregators that work with such companies, said Laura Varas, CEO and founder of Hearts & Wallets....

Buying Behavior Shifts As More Consumers Enjoy Thinking About Money

Oct 14, 2025

Concerns high on political environment, inflation and future of social security; goal setting translates into actions with emergency funds, according to a new report from Hearts & Wallets.

Investor confidence hits record high as more Americans embrace financial risk

Steve Randall, Oct 14, 2025

Confidence among US investors has climbed to new highs, with more consumers feeling financially secure, experienced in investing, and open to taking on market risk....

What investors need to know about financial advisor fees

Greg Iacurci, Sep 26, 2025

About 36% of consumers don’t know how they pay for a savings or investing relationship with a financial firm, according to a 2023 Hearts & Wallets survey....

What to know about serving households with $5M to $10M in investable assets

Ayo Mseka, Sep 25, 2025

A report from Hearts & Wallets reveals households with $5 million to $10 million in investable assets feel “very experienced’ with investing, have a high comfort level with market volatility, and are increasingly interested in generating income from their investments....

Is it possible to save too much in retirement accounts?

Ayo Mseka, Aug 27, 2025

Choosing the right accounts to save into can help younger and lower-asset households, according to a recent report by Hearts & Wallets....

Multigenerational Living Is On the Rise. Here’s How Advisors Can Help

Lilly Riddle, Aug 7, 2025

Multigenerational living is becoming more common, and advisors need to know how to manage these types of households....

U.S. Households With $5 Million To Under $10 Million: Savvy And Fickle Investors

Aug 7, 2025

U.S. households with $5 million to under $10 million in investable assets are knowledgeable investors who frequently move money between their multiple retail saving and investing firms, according to a new segment profile report by Hearts & Wallets....

US Households With $5M to $10M Prefer Multi-Firm Approach

Yasin Mohamud, Aug 4, 2025

Households in the U.S. with $5 million to $10 million in investible assets are “confident” about their finances and feel they are knowledgeable about investing, according to a new report by independent data and benchmarking firm Hearts & Wallets....

Rich Investors Eschew Financial Advice, Trade ETFs Frequently

Emile Hallez, Aug 4, 2025

They’re wealthy, they like ETFs, and they are using their own brains for at least some investment decisions rather than leaning on financial advisors....

Why the $5-10M market provides growth potential for advisors, financial institutions

Steve Randall, Jul 31, 2025

US households with $5 million to under $10 million in investable assets is growing and evolving, offering a lucrative growth market for advisors and financial institutions, according to a new report....

Ameriprise Financial: The Advisor-Driven Growth Machine

Marcus Lee, Jul 1, 2025

Hearts & Wallets Top Performer™: For the seventh year, clients rated Ameriprise as a firm that “understands me and shares my values,” outperforming the national average by 20%.

Growth In U.S. Household Wealth

Jun 26, 2025

Higher-asset U.S. households gained the most wealth in the last year, but picking the right accounts to save into can help younger and lower-asset households, according to the latest market intelligence report in the latest market intelligence report by Hearts & Wallets.

Wealthiest US households drive growth to $10T, but which accounts are most favored?

Steve Randall, Jun 25, 2025

Drawing on detailed government data and Hearts & Wallets' proprietary database of over 80,000 US households, the Portrait of US Household Wealth 2025 report released today (June 25) provides insights into the shifting contours of retail investor wealth....

Janus Henderson Adds Student Loan Benefit for Employees

Alyson Velati, Jun 25, 2025

Nationally, 28% of households believe that their employer should help pay off their student debt, according to Hearts & Wallets data....

Social Security Insolvency Looming Closer Than Expected

Emile Hallez, Jun 24, 2025

People also need help with planning their Social Security claims, data from Hearts & Wallets show....

Total U.S. Retirement Assets Down 1.6% in Q1 2025; IRAs Growing Faster than DC

Brian Anderson, Jun 23, 2025

Rollovers from workplace retirement plans naturally get the credit for IRAs continuing to be the biggest component of retirement assets, and a new report released today by data and benchmarking firm Hearts & Wallets finds that IRAs are growing more quickly than defined contribution (DC) or annuities....

Family caregivers face money setbacks and more: Edward Jones

Leo Almazora, May 20, 2025

A recent survey by Hearts & Wallets showed that among households with at least $3 million in investable assets, those aged 21 to 50 bore the heaviest burden from financial caregiving, fulfilling at least three of the nine financial caregiving responsibilities that Hearts & Wallets tracks....

Financial Caregiving: A Big Need With Little Current Support

May 16, 2025

A new report from Hearts & Wallets reveals 62.8 million U.S. households who control $38.2T in investable assets are willing to pay for help with financial caregiving tasks today.

Financial caregiving is a challenge that more advisors need to address

Steve Randall, May 15, 2025

The number of American households with financial caregiving responsibilities is growing and is increasingly impacting younger, affluent cohorts....

Who Wants to Live to 100? Not Most Americans

Griffin Kelly, May 15, 2025

More than half of financial caregivers are open to paying for professional help managing an aging loved one’s finances....

Rising Demand for Financial Caregiving Amid Advice Shortage

Alex Ortolani, May 15, 2025

Financial services firms are teeming with clients who need help dealing with aging parents, but many advisors may not have the focus or proper tools to provide that help, according to a study released Thursday by research and benchmarking firm Hearts & Wallets....

Americans are moving money, but where, and why

Steve Randall, May 12, 2025

An new report from Hearts & Wallets shared that an estimated $800 billion was moved in rollovers in 2024....

Look No Further: More 401(k) Savers Pick IRA from Recordkeeper

Sean Teehan, Apr 25, 2025

Millions more American households moved retirement assets last year than five years prior, and their top motivating factor was simplifying finances by reducing the number of institutions they deal with, a new study by Hearts & Wallets found....

More Americans are moving money, but who, why, and where?

Steve Randall, Apr 25, 2025

A new report from Hearts & Wallets published today (April 25) reveals that an estimated $800 billion was moved in rollovers in 2024, but transfer of assets and new deposits together totaled $1.3 trillion....

Q1 2025 Ameriprise Financial Inc Earnings Call

Apr 24, 2025

Ameriprise recently earned the 2025 Hearts & Wallets Top Performer™ recognition for “Understands me and shares my values” and “Unbiased, puts my interests first....

Is the Great Wealth Transfer Really All That Great?

Griffin Kelly, Apr 15, 2025

“The wealth transfer is a mirage right now,” said Hearts & Wallets CEO Laura Varas. Her research firm predicted just $17.5 trillion will be transferred over the next 20 years, based on data gathered in 2023. “It's very compelling and seductive. There is a watering hole, but it doesn't look exactly like how people are making it out to be.”...

Financial Professional Usage Increasing, Digital Advice Leveling Off

Judy Faust Hartnett, Apr 4, 2025

Political turmoil outstrips inflation as Americans’ top financial worry

Ayo Mseka, Mar 27, 2025

While more than 4 in 10 Americans surveyed named inflation as a major economic concern, the U.S. political environment topped inflation as their top financial worry....

Clients want more advice on savings, but are you giving them enough?

Steve Randall, Mar 26, 2025

Americans are seeking guidance on how to save or invest their cash but often feel that there is a lack of support from most financial advice channels....

Does your investor client know how much they pay in fees?

Ayo Mseka, Mar 3, 2025

In a recent survey on investor fees by Hearts & Wallets, customers reported that they are paying for nearly half of their primary and secondary saving and investing relationships, but four out of ten don’t know how they pay in at least some of their paid relationships.

What Customers Want And The Firms Customers Love

Feb 17, 2025

A new report by Hearts & Wallets examines the importance of consumer wants, customer satisfaction and customer-reported pricing.

Proactivity is key to client satisfaction, and it's lagging, survey says

Gregg Greenberg, Feb 13, 2025

Financial advisory clients increasingly want “proactivity,” according to a new study. In other words, they want their wealth managers to anticipate their needs in advance....

Friend Or Foe? No One Cares Anymore

Jack Sharry, Feb 4, 2025

Competitive pressures are intense. A recent market intelligence report from Hearts & Wallets found that U.S. households cut the number of retail financial services firms they use for the first time since 2013....

Americans Cut Financial Firms Used; Average Share Of Wallet Increases

Jan 20, 2025

U.S. households cut their number of financial services firms for the first time since 2013 with consolidation highest among wealthier households, according to new Hearts & Wallets research of nearly 6,000 U.S. households.

Financial firms' war for wallet share intensifies with households cutting ties

Leo Almazora, Jan 16, 2025

As everyday Americans reduce their savings and investing relationships for the first time in over a decade, financial firms must work harder to maintain loyalty and trust among their customers....

Financial Advisors’ Delicate Dance to Court Retail Investors

Griffin Kelly, Jan 2, 2025

“We can’t be cobblers, making bespoke shoes for everybody,” said Laura Varas, Hearts & Wallets CEO. “You’ve got to have some service models where you can say: This is the price for this amount of advice.”....