This briefing highlights the first module of the 2023 Explore Qualitative Research. Tune into the replay to hear our experts delve into focus group responses to direct indexing.

Direct indexing involves buying the individual stocks that make up an index, in the same weights as the index. This is another form of index investing and contrasts to index mutual funds or index exchange-traded funds (index ETFs) that track the index.

This briefing is based on our annual Stores and Success report and examines major industry analytics including share of wallet, share of assets, reach and consumer likelihood to refer and invest more. Capturing share of wallet (SOW) is becoming more and more difficult for most stores. This briefing explores how being the main source of retirement advice, offering both banking and investing services, and targeted advice experiences can all support capturing SOW!

In this briefing our experts examine key findings from our Portrait of U.S. Household Wealth in the context of recently published government data.

Additionally, we highlight the most notable research discoveries from 2022 through year-to-date 2023 and discuss significant takeaways that can help guide your firm's marketing and advice strategies.

Learn about investment decision making preferences. This briefing explores how investors rely on different sources of advice including financial advisors, workplace resources and technology; their frequency of consultation from these sources; and their online activities.

Learn how wealth transfer has become a mass market opportunity, and how your firm can support your clients through this process. This briefing examines who's planning to bequeath inheritances, who's planning to inherit, and the connection between inheritances and trust.

This briefing looks at the top customer wants and the firms that are winning the battle in customer satisfaction. We review the year's "Top Performer" firms —those that are setting the bar across key competitive metrics measures in the eyes of customers. This annual review of investor "wants & pricing" is one of our most highly rated bodies of research.

Get the complete picture of household finance. This briefing combines dual perspectives of income and net worth to deliver a comprehensive understanding of household wealth. Gain a better understanding of work status for different demographics, income, saving, spending, investable assets, account types, real estate, debt and other measures.

Learn about how and why investors are moving money between firms. We examine where they are moving to and from, how much they are moving, and the reasons for making the moves. Our analysis includes rollovers, transfer-of-assets (TOAs), and funding new accounts with new deposits. Three big ideas that we explore in detail - Overall trends in money movement; motivating factors in money movement; big is the trend in rollovers.

This briefing features our 2022 Portrait™ of U.S. Household Wealth report, the foundation of all market sizing at Hearts & Wallets. Hear the latest on the macro-trends in America's household wealth—learn who controls the money and how much! Specific topics covered include: - The new H&W wealth segment of $10M+ - An assessment of the "household" as the best unit to understand consumer wealth - Real estate value as part of household wealth - The importance of saving in both taxable and retirement accounts

Get the latest on consumer attitudes, sentiments, concerns and goals with a first look at 2022 survey data. Currently, 46% of U.S. households report “high concern” over inflation, and one third of these consumers are holding more than 90% of their assets in cash as buying power erodes. Additional leading concerns include the economy, the future of social security, global conflict, and declines in the U.S. stock market. But more and more consumers have multiple goals, and trust and understanding of the role of an advisor underscore the value of advice and guidance in the face of current financial headwinds.

Today, only 30% of advice experiences offer a clear and complete explanation of their value propositions and pricing. The remaining 70% do it slightly or not at all. This briefing looks at how clearly stated goals, value, propositions, names, pricing and actionable steps all contribute to consumer engagement and satisfaction, and result in more business. The three big ideas: the key to clear value propositions; actionable experiences through interactivity; clarity in choices through pricing and what consumers get.

Customers are seeking more help from the financial firms with which they do business. But they also want to be more involved. This briefing looks at the changes in consumer wants and expectations, and how it is intensifying competition. We examine which "Top Performing" firms are setting the competitive bar acknowledging and addressing what is important to consumers. Additionally, we have seen an increase in consumer awareness of pricing. Investors report paying more flat fees and higher prices than in the past. Learn the potential implications for pricing of products and services across the industry.

Did you know that only 24% of advice experiences on the market account for a spouse or a partner? Additionally, only 20% address real estate, and only 36% include income tax rates. Today, competitive advice experiences need to match the realities and challenges of real life. This briefing looks at advice best practices and what separates the best from the rest. Topics covered -- inclusion of spouses, partners, children and other dependents; the realities of work including periods of not working and changing jobs; unplanned life events; and optimizing taxes for the long term. Learn more about what makes good advice!

Consumers are trading more, and robos are growing in popularity. But we also are seeing a resurgence in interest in managed products. Could this be just what is needed - especially in today's turbulent markets? Learn more as we dig into who and what are behind these trends, and what they mean for asset managers and distributors.

Managing the customer experience is a priority. Of all the points along the customer journey, receiving advice is one of the most important. This briefing looks at today's top advice trends and associated best practices, what are the components of good advice, and what you should consider as you structure your advice tools and interactions. This is the first of a three part series on today's trends in delivering best of class advice and guidance to customers.

U.S. consumer trust in relationships with financial services firms is at the highest levels since tracking began. Despite this, most continue to reduce their share of wallet with their primary store through opening new accounts and establishing relationships with new firms. This briefing explores how many financial relationships consumers now have, which segments seem to be more loyal or more at risk, and what to consider when trying to acquire and retain clients in a time of greater choice and changing behavior.

Nearly 50% of US households use, or are interested in using, fractional shares, over 20% use crypto, and nearly 20% use securities-based lines of credit. What some would consider riskier investment products are on the rise -- especially with the younger generations. This subscriber briefing explores consumer trends related to these emerging products - who is using them and for what purposes.

Long-term financial planning matters to most households - 82% think about financial goals and planning, however, only 54% actually develop a plan! This briefing explores who plans and who doesn't plan for financial goals. Generation, lifestage, wealth group and marital status all impact planning behavior. Also, we look at what and who influences a consumer's decision to plan. There is power to planning - planners save and invest more, find fewer financial tasks challenging, and are more confident in their financial situation. Learn more about why encouraging planning is so important.

More and more consumers today find a number of financial tasks difficult. Learn which segments struggle the most and where they are experiencing the biggest advice gaps. For example, younger consumers have difficulty with more financial tasks, and seek help on these tasks more often than older consumers; lower asset consumers experience difficulty on more tasks compared to wealthier consumers; and calculating RMDs, estate planning, and choosing appropriate specific investments all have the biggest advice gaps. This briefing also looks at how task difficulty can impact a consumers willingness to pay for professional advice.

This briefing pulls from the most recent 2021 data on consumer attitudes towards saving, investing and advice. Overall, people feel more positive about their finances despite concerns over inflation, the U.S. deficit and taxes. Investor sentiment is now at the highest level in a decade. There is a renewed focus on investment goals, an increased interest in paying for professional financial advice and knowing which asset managers are managing their money, especially with the younger generations. The data indicates a "financial awaking" for the Millennials.

Using the Hearts & Wallets Inside Advice® Grid as a framework, this briefing examines the quality of different types of advice offered across the industry and how advice categories impact customer satisfaction, trust levels and the intent to invest more. Additionally, we explore pricing and packaging trends, and compare offerings from new entrants and established companies.

Capturing more of your customers' investable assets is often easier and less expensive than acquiring new customers. This briefing takes a close look at the profile of a customer who is inclined to give a firm a larger share of their investable assets; keys to targeting more receptive customers; and how trust, being the main source of retirement advice, and serving as a "primary" store all influence a customers decision to invest more.

This briefing looks at the competitive landscape and major trends in the robo-advisor market - who is winning the battle for customers and how traditional firms are responding to new entrants. It also reports on who is using robos, which customer segments are allocating the most, and how much they are investing.

This briefing reviews the demographic breakdown of household wealth in America through the the Hearts & Wallets Portrait Grid™. Learn who controls the wealth by life stage and asset level through the The Portrait Grid™. Also, gain a complete understanding of how the Portrait Grid™ works and how overlaying IQ™ Database fields can help define and refine targeting strategies. This report covers the demographic breakdown of household wealth in America. U.S retail investors control $68.3T in investable assets. This is at an all time high but there is an unprecedented concentration of wealth in higher asset households. Learn who controls the wealth by life stage and asset level This research is the foundation of all market sizing at Hearts & Wallets.

Which firms have had most success growing share of assets and number of relationships? Did outreach during COVID-19 affect consumer satisfaction levels? How are service models across the industry changing? As service models diversify, how are they influencing trust and other success metrics? This briefing addresses these questions through exploring today's trends in relationships between consumers and the financial services firms they do business with. We also review store-specific competitive data including reach, share of wallet, trust, intent to recommend and intent to invest.

Mutual fund ownership is on the decline, more investors are trading stocks and cryptocurrencies, and yet disturbingly many lower asset Americans lack access to capital markets as complex solutions proliferate. This briefing looks at major trends in online brokerage accounts & trading, the use of cryptocurrencies, product ownership, and investing goals including ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance). We examine what's driving these trends and the investor segments that represent your biggest opportunities.

This month's briefing covers customer satisfaction ratings on all things important -- what they want from the financial firms they do business with and their understanding of the fees they pay for products and services. We also delve into which Top Performer firms set the competitive bar. This annual review of investor "wants & pricing" is one of our most highly rated research packages of the year -- one that many consider to be an industry scorecard.

The past year has many investors rethinking their plans. This briefing explores changes in target retirement ages, a profile of the "Aspire to Retire by 55" group, aspirations and reality for income replacement rates and the importance of advice. It also looks closely at anticipated sources of retirement income for those approaching retirement compared to actual sources for those already retired. This briefing will be especially helpful to people working on workplace advice, institutional retirement plans, IRA or rollover product management and financial planning.

As consumers want more involvement in their investment decisions, and delegation has decreased to an all-time low, appetite for “seeking input from various sources” has increased to an all-time high. This briefing explores the reasons for these trends and potential strategies to match these behaviors. It also looks at what type activities consumers are doing online and what devices (mobile vs. computer) they are choosing for specific types of information. For example, in 2020, engagement with online planning tools and calculators declined at the same time we are experiencing a rise in use of mobile across the board.

COVID-19 has resulted in increased financial actions by consumers – and savings is on the top of the list for many. This briefing looks at who is taking action, what they are doing, the wants and goals for the various segments of savers, and which firms are best positioned to capture the flows.

This briefing explores the impact COVID has had on consumer attitudes and sentiment toward saving, investing and advice. Specifically, who is and who is not experiencing a return to normalcy post COVID shock; how goals across ALL segments of the population have changed; the biggest consumer concerns moving forward; and how attitudes towards advice & guidance, packaged products and simple savings products have changed. This briefing will be of particular interest to those who work on advice & guidance, cash management, prioritization of investor goals and life events including job loss.

This briefing explores the state of financial fluency among today's investors. Learn who understands the language of investing and who doesn't. How retirement plan participants stack up and the implications of confusion for the industry. This briefing is of particular interest to those working on retirement, segmentation, advice and guidance, and tax optimization.

This briefing is particularly relevant to those who work on advice, retirement, retirement income, rollover and client experience for older consumers. This briefing explores why workplace advice isn't working for consumers 55+, those consumers' specific wants relating to advice, and the advantages of combining in-plan income solutions with retail advice.

Learn the latest in how consumers are blending online and live advice. This briefing provides new data on consumer awareness and trial of new entrants and insights into what consumers really want from these new offerings – today and in the future. Understand what resonates with younger vs. older consumers and households with different asset levels. You'll come away with insights into the range of service models and ideas about pricing.

Understand the continuing impact of COVID-19 to saving, investing and advice behaviors as well as health and employment changes with just-fielded data from our May tracking supplement, which connects to core fields from Investor Quantitative™ Database. Learn about growing consumer disengagement with financial goals, the ways consumers are generating cash, and how the pandemic is changing consumer behavior.

This briefing provides an overview of U.S. market sizing and opportunities based on an 8- and 2-year lookback as well as current and future growth trends. Get new insights on the dramatic differences in how women see their roles in financial decision-making vs. men in partnered/married households. The broadcast also includes a preview of our COVID-19 #2 tracking supplement, which highlights growing consumer needs to support their saving, investing and spending.

Understand dramatic changes in how Americans save, spend, invest and seek advice in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. This briefing shares new data from our March 2020 supplement to the annual wave of the Investor Quantitative™ Database to inform decision-making in a rapidly changing environment.

Get the latest on pricing trends, top consumer wants, and competitive performance, including firms that are Top Performers for consumer wants.

Understand the major pain points of different consumer groups, what they seek help and take action on, and how firms can support them.

Find out about the consumer mindset from a desire to address immediate goals to growing expectations to address student debt in workplace plans. Use learnings on evolving consumer concerns as inspiration for new products.

As the 75+ age segment grows, needs to support families grow as well. High interest in elder financial care shines a light on subscription vs. periodic pricing. Game plans for personal finance should include real estate.

Learn how to improve low trust and further enhance high trust with findings from Hearts & Wallets' new analysis on trust drivers.

What can firms do to address the $10T in cash sitting on the sidelines? Learn about trends in investment products and awareness of asset managers.

Learn about growing trends in generosity for leaving inheritances, the level of comfort of different generations in talking about family finances, and the power of partner planning.

Understand money movement opportunities and the competitive landscape at the transaction level. "To simplify my finances" is the No. 1 influencing factor. Easy, however, has very different requirements depending on the consumer group that is moving money.

Understand trends about wealthier Gen X and millennials who are using robo-advisors. Gain insights into two main negative results of consumer confusion, and learn how clear choice can lead to higher trust and more satisfied customers, even the willingness to pay more.

Retirement income will be highly personalized and involve part-time work and creative uses of real estate. Learn how current and future retirees envision their income streams. Gain insight into the trend of higher engagement in workplace retirement programs at the same time that saving to such programs is down.

Consumers are shopping around, which results in lower share of wallet for leading financial services retail firms. Learn about trust drivers that can increase share of wallet, intent to invest and intent to recommend. Get competitive buying pattern insights on Top Performer firms and success metrics relevant to consumers.

This briefing examines the working situations of Americans, especially gig households and their receptivity to advice. How Americans are saving, including emergency funds and their confusion about "cash" and liquid. The final topic focuses on tailoring saving solutions to the personal headwinds of consumers.

This briefing on Valentine's Day examines competitive insights and data to win the hearts of customers. Learn the most frequent wants of consumers, insights into Top Performer firms, and trends and misunderstandings in pricing.

Master market sizing with the Portrait Grid™ and tap into the power of consumer relationships, which are more durable than assets. Combine sizing insights with key learnings on the 7 factors driving today's older advice shoppers and consumers verbatims on how they want to pay for advice.

Gain insight into the most important trends into sources of advice and information -- from the growing use of Paid Investment Professionals, the growth of online and especially mobile, and the link between comfort in mobile payments and investing behaviors.

Expand relationships with existing customers, attract younger consumers, and build out advice experience offerings with the Inside Advice^® Grid, a clear, consistent advice and guidance choice architecture. Ask Hearts & Wallets Relationship Managers to learn more about advice and guidance assessments that can drive your business forward.

Develop meaningful solutions and advice through better understanding of top consumer goals, pain points and advice gaps.

Enhance your advice and guidance experiences with a better understanding of what it takes to create leading advice experiences for all types of experiences. Spark innovation with insights from the forward-looking Top Ten Trends and Best Practices, derived from Hearts & Wallets qualitative and quantitative data on consumer insights and Inside Advice^® marketplace execution.

Learn how to drive revenue and loyalty by increasing consumer awareness of investment products and by creating exciting products that engage investors.