This reports 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. Additionally, we report on the who ranks as a "Top Performer" firm and who is setting 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. Read more

The past year has many investors rethinking their plans. This report explores changes in target retirement ages; aspirations and reality for income replacement rates and the importance of advice; anticipated sources of retirement income for those approaching retirement compared to actual sources for those already retired; and a profile of the "Aspire to Retire by 55" group. Key Findings Include: - Even as more households want to “work full time as long as health permits,” target retirement dates are moving younger. - Ambitions for replacement rates have increased, but assets-to-income ratios show most people are still very unprepared for the end of full-time work. - Future retirees anticipate combining more sources of income than current retirees. The more income sources consumers have, the more value they see in paying for advice. - More households report participating in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. More generous matches increase overall household saving rate, especially at lower income levels. Saving into employer plans is up. - There are about 11M households in the “Aspire to Retire by 55” design target. Well positioned in some ways, these households need help to achieve this goal. Read more

As consumers want more involvement in their investment decisions, and delegation has decreased to an all-time low, consumer appetite for “seeking input from various sources” has increased to an all-time high. Those who are blending advice from financial professionals and online sources, first research online and then validate with financial professionals. This report explores the reasons for these trends and potential strategies to match these behaviors. The report also looks at the activities consumers are doing online – what is most common, what is growing, what is shrinking, 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. Behaviors by wealth level and age group suggest on-line planning tools may not be keeping up with usage trends in technology. Read more

The Hearts & Wallets Attitudes & Sentiment report annually tracks key consumer sentiments, goals and attitudes that are relevant to financial services firms and their strategic decisions. This year, we examine the impact of COVID-19 – how the initial shock and ongoing reactions have changed the consumer mindset and what it means for savings, investing and advice solutions. One in 3 consumers say “the COVID-19 crisis has changed their attitudes towards saving and investing,” and firms should provide appropriate outreach to this group. Nationally, since the onset of the crisis, consumer optimism regarding their financial futures has bounced back for some but not others. Many are setting goals again but are focused on the short term. And, receptivity to advice is warming with a renewed interest in banking, savings solutions and packaged products. Read more

The language of investing is complex. Despite all the efforts within the industry to simplify it and make investing concepts more easily understood, we are failing. Investors are still confused - 81% consumers lack financial fluency. This report looks at the language of investing and who does and does not understand it; how workplace plan participants are particularly challenged; and the implications of confusion and the associated opportunities. Read more

Older Americans are looking for help on a broad range of topics, but most depend on retail sources of advice vs. what is offered through the workplace. Find out why. Learn the biggest complaints, suggestions, and possible solutions for bridging the gap between wants and current workplace offerings. Read more

This second COVID-19 tracking supplement examines the pandemic’s impact to health, work, saving investing and advice behaviors, connecting to core fields from Investor Quantitative™ Database. Over 29 million households have 1 or more partners out of work, which has significantly impact consumer’s finances and attitudes. As a result of the extraordinary levels of unemployment, report findings are weighted for unemployment, in addition to age and assets, to ensure that the voices of the unemployed were counted adequately in the national figures. The report covers financial goals, economic concerns, attitudes toward financial advice and advisors, sources of advice, spending, saving, financial responses, and consumer attitudes toward public policy. Read more

The annual Portrait™of U.S. Household Wealth gives you the power to size segments of U.S retail investors and understand the demand for solutions in the context of the total market. This sizing report provides new data on consumer households and the assets they control by age, wealth groups, lifestage and generation, drawn from government resources and the Hearts & Wallets Investor Quantitative™ Database. This year's report features market sizing on women, the retirement income market and emerging savers. Read more

“Elder Financial Care” provides insights into the future dynamics of periodic vs. subscription. This concept test provokes price discovery by first presenting two separately priced options with distinct features and then a blended option with ambiguity in payment mechanisms. Segmentation is by desired scope of advice among older, affluent investors who are shopping for advice. Read more

This special tracking appendix examines the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on U.S. consumer finances, attitudes and behaviors. This just-fielded data reveals impacts by generation, asset level, and work and health status. The analysis looks at income and spending cut-backs, changes in goals and financial actions, changes to investment mix and more. Read more

Examine pricing trends and the importance of customer wants for firms and financial professionals. In this report, U.S. households rate their top two financial services providers on 27 attributes for 5 key service dimensions and 3 pricing measurements. Satisfaction ratings include customer ratings for the top 24 providers nationally. Top Performer firms have ratings from their customers on top wants distinctly higher than customer ratings of other firms. Read more

“Home Conversion Mortgage” aka Reverse Mortgage explores awareness and receptivity to using mortgages for aging in place, employing a disguised name to avoid pre-conceived notions about reverse mortgages. Learn more