In the News

Indie Giant Revamps Fee-Based Program Ahead of DOL

Bradley Saacks, Dec 18, 2016

In preparation of the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule, National Planning Holdings is jump-starting its WealthOne fee-based advisory platform with an array of product and technology changes geared toward helping its network of 3,500 advisors focus on goals-based investing… The goals-based model, which is crafted around an investor’s personal financial goals, goes beyond just the fiduciary standard, says Laura Varas, founder and CEO of Hearts & Wallets....

Investors want robos paired with live financial advice

Tom Anderson, Dec 6, 2016

Investors want a "bionic" financial advisor who offers a low-cost, automated investing platform paired with patient, personal advice, according to a new survey by the Financial Planning Association and Investopedia. One in 4 people with $500,000 or more in investible assets uses digital tools and a paid advisor, according to a recent survey by financial services research firm Hearts & Wallets....

Robo-Advisers: Not Just for Millennials Anymore? Boomers are intrigued, and a new robo targets retirees

Richard Eisenberg, Dec 5, 2016

Ever since robo-advisers hit the scene in 2008, these low-cost online automated investing firms (roughly $67 billion under management) have mostly targeted Millennials. The thinking at the likes of Betterment, Wealthfront and FutureAdvisor: people in their 20s and 30s are tech-savvy, want to keep investing costs down and don’t have enough money to interest human financial advisers… The Hearts & Wallets financial firm recently held focus groups of people age 53 to 74 (with $500,000 or more in investable assets), to see what they thought of robos. Some, Hearts & Wallets founder and CEO Laura Varas said, answered: What’s a robo? “We got a lot of blank stares,” she told me. But many who were using human financial advisers had heard of robos. And once all the participants were told how robo-advisers worked — using algorithms to select inexpensive ETFs or index funds, allocating portfolios between stocks and bonds, rebalancing holdings and consolidating holdings — they perked up....

Robo-Advisers: Not Just For Millennials Anymore?

Richard Eisenberg, Dec 5, 2016

Older Investors Swayed By Digital Advice

Dervedia Thomas, Nov 29, 2016

The rise of digital advice is influencing how older investors are willing to pay for advice, according to a recent study from Hearts and Wallets. The study, titled How Older Affluent Investors Blend Live and On-line Advice & Reactions to BIC and Concepts for Aging, reveals digital advice isn’t just....

GAO: 401(k) Regs Fail the Modern Workforce

Jill Gregorie, Nov 28, 2016

Americans are losing out on a substantial amount of retirement savings due to overly restrictive eligibility and vesting requirements for employer-based 401(k) plans. And the youngest and most mobile workers are being hit hardest, according to a new study from the Government and Accountability Office (GAO). With the rising popularity of nontraditional work options including freelance and self-employment, now is the ideal time for those rules to be revisited, says Laura Varas, founder and CEO at Hearts & Wallets....

Americans Seek Diversified Investments and Advice

John Manganaro, Nov 27, 2016

Results of a new Hearts & Wallets analysis suggest advice is not a zero-sum game; participants are happy to pay for advice that is worth getting, whether it is delivered face-to-face or via a digital platform. At a high level, affluent older Americans have increased use of both digital and live advice resources, according to Hearts & Wallets. As a result, more investors are needing to carefully blend and incorporate different sources of advice to which they may assign different levels of trust and confidence....

Want to invest automatically? Here are the types of robo advisers to consider

Alessandra Malito, Nov 13, 2016

A rarity even a decade ago, robo advisers have gone mainstream. Well-known financial institutions, perhaps even your bank, now offer one… Some platforms are designed for a specific group, said Laura Varas, founder and chief executive officer of research firm Hearts & Wallets, such as younger generations, wealthier investors or specific genders….

Young, restless investors

Emily Sakamoto, Nov 6, 2016

There is no one way to group millennials — some follow U.S. Census data (those born between 1982 and 2000), while others consider the generation to encompass anyone under 35-years-old. But one fact stands irrefutable: They are the largest generation in history, and in the near future will not only inherit trillions of dollars, but also enter their prime money making and investing years… Use of mobile as a source of investment advice has jumped from 10% to 24% in the last five years, with millennials contacting 8.4 sources on average before making an investment-related decision, nearly double that of the post-retiree class, according data from Hearts & Wallets….

‘Honey, Are We Ever Going to Retire?’

Elizabeth O'Brien, Nov 2, 2016

Chances are, neither you nor your spouse envision rocking away your retirement on the front porch. Many people plan to continue working in some form after they stop the daily grind, or even plan to stay at their day jobs indefinitely, out of desire or financial necessity. Or you may have big ambitions for travel, hobbies, or other side projects… Talking about retirement can be challenging, particularly if you’re not sure if you can afford to retire at all. Only 35% of couples reported actively engaging in retirement planning together, according to a study from Hearts & Wallets....

Robo Relax: More 401k Participants Combine Tech And Advisors

John Sullivan, Oct 28, 2016

In another sign robo and traditional advisors are not an either/or proposition, half of all American investors, 401(k) participants and otherwise, use digital resources for investment information and advice. They’re also showing a “renewed receptivity for financial professionals,” according to research from data research provider Hearts & Wallets….

Retirement Questionable for Many, Despite Improved Economic Views

Emile Hallez, Oct 27, 2016

Workers are becoming warier about their retirement prospects, even as their views of the U.S. economy improve and defined contribution plans generally become more paternalistic. Only about 29% of workers feel that they are saving enough to be able to retire, a figure that has dropped by 5 percentage points over the past two years, according to a recent report by Hearts & Wallets....

Investors Want Help -- Digital Or Human

Karen DeMasters, Oct 26, 2016

Investors are looking for help wherever they can find it – whether that is digital or human professionals, according to two surveys released Thursday by Hearts & Wallets, an information source for retail investor data. Seventy-one percent of consumers use some type of financial advice, an increase of 5 percentage points since last year. At the same time, 42 percent of the 5,000 people surveyed use a paid financial professional, up from 40 percent in 2012, according to Hearts & Wallets. The increases may be due to the fact that half of those surveyed say they are challenged by investment selection….

More Americans Seeking Financial Advice

Staff writer, Oct 25, 2016

Even as younger and wealthier individuals gravitate toward digital resources for advice, a new report also finds renewed receptivity for financial professionals. According to new research by Hearts & Wallets, nearly three-quarters (71%) of consumers now use a financial professional of any type, up from 66% last year, and 42% use a paid professional, up from 40% in 2012, a shift characterized by the researchers as a statistically significant increase given the margin of error with a sampling size of more than 5,000 U.S. households....

Traditional Advisers Can Learn from ‘Robos’ on the Rise

Javier Simon, Oct 13, 2016

Automated portfolio management platforms, or robo-advisers, are rapidly winning a sizable share of traditional advisory clients, from high-net worth retail investors to defined contribution retirement plans. Their presence in the marketplace has reached the point where traditional financial advisory firms can no longer just brush them off, according to Hearts & Wallets research. Traditional firms should instead focus on learning from the successes and failures of early robo-adviser entrants, a new white paper from the firm argues, looking for opportunities to take the best of both approaches. The Hearts & Wallets white paper looks at a number of recent developments in the robo-space to make the case....

Is there an election year boost for robo advisers for women?

Gabriella Iannetta, Oct 4, 2016

With high-profile women in the spotlight this election season, there's a change in attitudes and politics that female-focused investing and entrepreneurs can build upon, analysts say. "We've got a woman running for president and great female fintech entrepreneurs," says Laura Varas, CEO of data and consulting firm Hearts & Wallets. "We are on the cusp of a generation of women leaders who don’t remember the term, 'liberated women.'"....

Americans fearful about retirement funds, but upbeat about finances

Marlene Y. Satter, Sep 21, 2016

Although Americans are more worried than ever about how they’ll manage to save enough for retirement, they’re apparently more upbeat about their overall financial situation. That’s according to new research from Hearts & Wallets, which found that nationally, investors are actually feeling better about the U.S. economy, inflation and retirement as compared to 2015. As total household investable assets and retirement asset growth are failing to grow this year, ever, despite growing in years past, consumers are more focused on building an emergency fund. That lack of growth in household assets is also driving consumers to take more risks with market volatility in the pursuit of gains in a low-interest-rate environment with 27 percent overall chasing returns despite volatility; that’s up from 22 percent in 2015....

Americans Shrug As Their Net Worth Stagnates

Christopher Robbins, Sep 21, 2016

Americans have become more optimistic about their finances despite flattening asset growth, according to a recent study from Rye, N.Y.-based financial consumer research firm Hearts & Wallets. In fact, Hearts & Wallets found that Americans were saving more in general and placing greater emphasis on building their emergency funds after the relatively flat growth of their investable assets and retirement assets in 2015. Year-over-year, investors’ outlook on the economy improved as their anxieties eased, according to the firm’s Investor Quantitative Database, an annual survey of more than 5,000 U.S. households....

Investors Want Help, but Fear Being ‘Ripped Off’ by Advisors: Survey

Janet Levaux, Sep 20, 2016

Survey also shows stagnant household wealth means consumers are more willing to risk market volatility in pursuit of gains. Most Americans say they need more help when it comes to saving money and preparing for retirement, according to the latest poll conducted by Hearts & Wallets. But they appear to have a high degree of mistrust of financial advisors. The survey of 5,000-plus households found that 62% of respondents wish they were doing a better job of saving. Plus, putting money away “is a largely unmet need” for more than 40 million households with $5.2 trillion in investable assets, who find it difficult or extremely difficult to know where to put savings, according to Hearts & Wallets research. At the same time, investors are feeling better about the U.S. economy, inflation and retirement in general vs. last year. Yet, close to half, 44%, said they fear being “ripped off” by financial professionals, the poll finds....

Hearts & Wallets: Investors More Comfortable With Volatility

Dervedia Thomas, Sep 19, 2016

Flat year-on-year retirement assets, fear of not being on track driving the pursuit of higher returns. Investors have become a bit more accepting of volatility as par for the course prompting the need for improved or sustained marketing efforts. That’s according to survey of over 5,000 US households in 2016 by Hearts & Wallets. The findings also present fund firms with the opportunity to engage investors....

Americans Open to More Investment Risk to Improve Retirement Savings

Rebecca Moore, Sep 19, 2016

Hearts & Wallets found less than one-third of accumulators feel their retirement savings are on track. Americans have growing concerns about how they’ll build their retirement nest egg, according to new research by Hearts & Wallets. Less than one-third of accumulators feel their retirement savings are on track, a drop of seven percentage points from two years ago. The decline was across all life stages with the largest decrease among those nearing the traditional age of retirement, Late Careers (ages 53 to 64), falling five percentage points in one year. One-third (31%) saving for retirement are unsure how they will fund their retirement, especially households with less than $100,000 in investable assets....

BlackRock Flags Robo Risks for Regulators

Beagan Wilcox Volz, Sep 15, 2016

BlackRock in a recent white paper urges regulators to pay closer attention to certain aspects of how robo-advisors operate, and what the differences between them mean to investors. The Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule may only accelerate the sales momentum that has helped online advisory models surge in recent years, heightening the need for effective oversight by regulators, BlackRock writes in the 16-page paper. In it, the firm, which last year acquired its own robo, FutureAdvisor, also discusses factors promoting the growth of these programs, differences between different vendor models and other related subjects… BlackRock’s paper is “one of the standard plays in the playbook of how to defeat innovative new entrants,” says Laura Varas, CEO of Hearts & Wallets. Greater regulatory scrutiny of robo-advisors could make it “more difficult or impossible” for some to operate, she says....

Most Consumers Use Mix of Technology, Live Advice: Report

Danielle Andrus, Aug 9, 2016

Investors, especially affluent ones, are comfortable using digital tools in their decision making process, according to a white paper from Hearts & Wallets. Nearly two-thirds of investors with between $500,000 and $2 million use digital tools, and over half of those with between $100,000 and $500,000 do so. “Increasing use of technology has paralleled investors’ association with self-determination in their investment decision making," as opposed to relying on others, according to Todd Hiller, vice president of Hearts & Wallets and author of the report....

Robos and the DOL Ruling: The Future of Wealth Management

Grace Noto, Aug 9, 2016

Roboadvisors are among the hottest trends in fintech — or invest tech, if you prefer — but a new proposed ruling from the Department of Labor has raised questions, specifically: Are roboadvisors fiduciaries? Robos, which provide personalized advice based on algorithms to clients without any need whatsoever for human interaction, seem to fall into a gray area with the Department of Labor’s new ruling, which those in the financial service sector have been hearing chatter about for some time. “As far as I understand, it’s still not clear what robos are classified as; it’s not clear yet whether an algorithm can be classified as a fiduciary,” said Laura Varas, whose data and consulting firm Hearts & Wallets provides consumer-driven insights for the financial services industry. “However, for banks, giving customers access to this Betterment-type robo is really a great opportunity.”...

Lessons From the Robos: It’s Not All About Investment Advice

Emile Hallez, Aug 7, 2016

Mutual fund providers and broker-dealers trying to compete with robo-advisors should consider the ways people use the new entrants’ services, which are not solely for investment management, according to a new white paper. Last week, Fidelity opened its new robo, Fidelity Go, to investors, joining the numerous other fund providers that have recently moved into the online advice market. But before acquiring or starting their own robos, fund providers should first examine the range of services that online advisory platforms offer clients — aside from low-cost investment portfolios — as well as how they market themselves, says Laura Varas, CEO of Hearts & Wallets....

Robos Provide Blueprint For Better Product Development, Marketing

Dervedia Thomas, Aug 7, 2016

Asset managers acquiring or partnering with robo-advisers may be missing an opportunity to enhance their marketing and product development by just focusing on institutions, according to a new study from Hearts & Wallets. The study, titled Lessons from Robos for Digital Enhancement, examines what consumers like best about robos....

Shifting Gears from Saving to Spending in Retirement

Eleanor Laise, Aug 3, 2016

Retirement is often described as the “decumulation” phase—a period when retirees are steadily spending down their assets. But many retirees are not only leaving their nest eggs intact but also squirreling away a big chunk of their income—accumulating assets as they move through retirement, recent studies show....

A Shocking Number of Adults Are Still Mooching Off Their Parents

Beth Braverman, Jul 31, 2016

August 1, 2016 Young adults who graduate from college but still rely on their parents for financial support have become commonplace since the Great Recession, but a new report finds that the arrangement can last for decades… Adult children who continue to rely on their parent for financial assistance may be jeopardizing the older generation’s financial security. Baby boomers with financially dependent children are half as likely to be retired as peers who are still footing their kids’ bills, according to a 2015 report financial research firm Hearts & Wallets....

Legg Mason acquires 82% stake in robo-adviser Financial Guard

Alessandra Malito, Jul 6, 2016

Legg Mason, an asset manager with $718 billion under management, acquired an 82% equity interest in a robo-adviser called Financial Guard. The firm plans to offer the digital advice platform, which will fall under the company's alternative distribution strategies business, to advisers, record keepers, banks and insurers. Executives said the purchase will help advisers stay on top of technological innovations as well as meet the needs of the Department of Labor's fiduciary rule, which requires all advisers to act in their clients' best interests in retirement accounts. Terms of the deal were....

Widespread Retirement Anxiety Sparking 401(k) Outlash

Beagan Wilcox Volz, Jun 30, 2016

The U.S retirement industry’s reputation in recent weeks has taken a bruising in popular culture. Last week, former banker and “Car Czar” Steven Rattner called for a complete overhaul of the retirement system and advised investors to avoid actively managed funds in the meantime. The opinion, which described the system as “rigged,” came weeks after comedian John Oliver devoted most of his half-hour show to slamming retirement plan providers, the ads they’ve created and the complicated nature of 401(k) fees....

How to Declare Your Financial Independence

Richard Eisenberg, Jun 20, 2016

As the 4th of July nears, what better time to talk about a few ways that could help people in their 50s or 60s declare their financial independence within the next few years? You may have noticed that the goal of “financial independence” and its close cousin “financial freedom” seem to be replacing the traditional goal of “retirement.” “Freedom and freedom money really resonate a lot more than ‘retirement’ when we do focus groups,” said Chris Brown, a partner at the Hearts & Wallets financial services market research firm....

Investor Dissatisfaction Creates a $15T Blind Spot

Andrew Greene, Jun 13, 2016

Financial service providers, intermediaries and retirement plan recordkeepers have a $15 trillion blind spot in the form of a massive segment of clients who are dissatisfied but by all appearances seem to be loyal customers. This is among the findings of dual studies recently issued by research firm Hearts & Wallets that examine the motives prompting investors to switch financial service providers in 2015 and the factors that might push others to do so in the future....

Vanguard Puts 401(k) Savers' Retirement Income Front and Center

Beagan Wilcox Volz, Jun 8, 2016

Vanguard has redesigned its participant website to make estimated retirement income more prominent in an attempt to prod greater savings at a time when many say the country faces a retirement crisis… Getting participants thinking about the purpose of their 401(k) account early and often is important for leading them to think more about how they contribute to and manage their accounts, says Laura Varas, CEO of industry research and consulting firm Hearts & Wallets. “It’s good that Vanguard is putting that out front and center for people because consumers need to see that. It needs to be in their faces a bit more,” she says….

Millennials stay at home rather than with their partners

Staff writer, May 24, 2016

Alexandra Smith of the College Republican National Committee, and James Freeman of the Wall Street Journal discuss a new study on Millennial living habits....

Ed Jones, Wells Fargo Lead on Fee Clarity, Unbiased Service

Nick Godt, Apr 28, 2016

Investors rank Edward Jones and Wells Fargo Advisors as the top full-service broker-dealers in providing both clarity about fees and unbiased services for investors, according to research firm Hearts & Wallets. Recently released results of a survey of over 5,000 participants show that the two firms, along with Scottrade, received top marks from 60% or more of their customers for making fees “clear and understandable.”....

What Investors Know About Fees: Next To Nothing

Richard Eisenberg, Apr 28, 2016

You’ve probably seen the Charles Schwab commercial with a Millennial son asking his boomer dad how much his broker charges and the father says, “I dunno.” Turns out, U.S. investors are just as clueless as that dad about the fees they pay....

Americans clueless on investment fees

Marlene Y. Satter, Apr 28, 2016

Americans may price-watch on a lot of things, but investment fees aren’t one of them. That’s according to a new study from Hearts & Wallets, which found that not only do people not have a good handle on what various financial products cost them, many believe they pay nothing....

Most Americans Think Financial Products Are Free

Corie Hengst, Apr 27, 2016

Most Americans believe they pay nothing for their financial products or have no idea what they pay, according to a study by Hearts & Wallets, “Wants & Pricing: What Investors Buy & Competitive Ratings.” About one-third (31%) say don’t know what they pay for their financial products, an increase of four percentage point in one year. Less than one-third (28%) say for certain they are charged a fee by a retail financial “store,” which Hearts & Wallets defines as retail and defined contribution providers that work directly with investors. Of the 41% who say they pay their financial store “nothing” and instead pay through actual products, 72% say they pay nothing for the product....

Investor Fee Confusion Supports Dollar Fee Disclosure

Dervedia Thomas, Apr 27, 2016

Investors lack a clear understanding of what they're paying to invest in mutual funds, according to a new study from Hearts & Wallets. The study, titled Wants & Pricing: What Investors Buy & Competitive Ratings, reveals not only do some investors not know what they’re paying, some may....

Strong Push for Self-Directed Investing

John Manganaro, Mar 31, 2016

A look at the “anxious male” investor segment reveals they are increasingly more self-directed, going from 62% self-directed in 2010 to 78% in 2015, according to new Hearts & Wallets research. The findings are drawn from the Hearts & Wallets Investor Quantitative (IQ) Database, says Laura Varas, CEO and founder of Hearts & Wallets. She explains that the firm decided to do a deep dive into male investor behaviors in order to “move beyond gross generalizations” and to do more effective segmentation and analysis of this large and diverse group of investors....

MILLENNIALS ROCK THE FINANCIAL PLANNING WORLD

Steven Butler, Feb 28, 2016

Laura Varas has a few tips for anyone starting the search for sound advice on managing their money. Start with personality — yours, naturally, but don’t forget the personality of whomever, or whatever, you are turning to in order to get your financial life in shape. These days, amid a proliferation of new and old ways to manage money, there’s a personality out there waiting for you, much like that mythical soul mate, whether you are rich or poor, indebted or endowed, savvy or slow, wise or wondering. “One size never fits all,” says Varas, founder of Hearts & Wallets, a financial industry research and consulting firm. What she wants to know: “Does the brand resonate with my personality?”...

Wealthfront, staying true to robo roots, faces uphill battle in race for assets

Alessandra Malito, Feb 23, 2016

Despite facing competitors growing at a faster clip, Wealthfront, one of the first big robo-advisers in the market, hasn't announced any plans to expand its customer base by working with financial advisers or other financial services companies.As far as growing assets, such a decision puts the company at a disadvantage, experts say. While Wealthfront is still a formidable figure in the robo market, competitors are gaining or running past it with large financial industry partners and extended business strategies. "What their roots were founded in was bringing transparency and low cost to the....

Couples Avoid Talking About Retirement

Karen DeMasters, Feb 14, 2016

Most couples do not discuss their retirement plans and the number who do is declining, according to Hearts & Wallets, a retail investor data source. One-third of couples reported talking about their retirement goals last year, a decline from 40 percent in 2013. At the same time, at least one person in one-quarter of the couples say they fear their partner will not be able to manage finances without them....

5 potentially major threats to your retiremen

Aubrey Cohen, Feb 13, 2016

Even if you’ve been diligently saving for retirement and have your money socked away in the right investments for your age, unforeseen problems can disrupt your careful planning. Threats to your retirement can come from both inside your own family and from strangers who want to take advantage of you. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself....

The 7 Retirement Moves Couples in their 50s Should Make Now

Penelope Wang, Elizabeth O'Brien, Kerri Anne Renzulli, Feb 6, 2016

Many people head toward retirement as part of a couple. But that doesn’t mean that spouses are working together as a team. Only one-third of couples have even discussed retirement planning, according to a 2016 study by consultants Hearts & Wallets....

A Money Pro’s 3 Top Tips for Your Finances

Richard Eisenberg, Feb 9, 2016

If you’re not paying attention to your finances because you find it boring or you use the excuse “I’m not good with numbers,” I have two words for you: Oh, please. You are ultimately responsible for your financial life and financial security. You can’t rely on a spouse and certainly not on your financial adviser to care more about your well being than you do. That’s the core message of Liz Davidson’s new book, What Your Financial Advisor Isn’t Telling You, and what she told me when I interviewed her about it. And I couldn’t agree with her more....

How Boomer Parents Feel About Leaving Inheritances

Richard Eisenberg, Jan 20, 2016

A ticklish question for boomer parents (come a little closer, since I want to whisper it): Do you plan to leave your kid an inheritance? Based on a fascinating report by the Hearts & Wallets financial services research firm, it looks like affluent members of the boomer generation are split about this. But here’s where it gets interesting: Those in the no-inheritance camp aren’t the selfish Scrooges you might suspect. And many of the ones planning to leave inheritances are nervous about it....

BlackRock: Robo to Buttress Relationships, Score Deals in '16

Matthew Beaton, Jan 19, 2016

BlackRock’s newly purchased robo-advisor will tighten ties with distributors, said CEO Larry Fink Friday, adding that the firm will look to make similar investments in its business in 2016....Robos essentially represent a chance for the “pendulum of power” to swing from distributors back in favor of product providers, says Laura Varas, partner at Hearts & Wallets. End investors will work more closely with and become more reliant on the robo, she says....