As market inconsistency continues to be a leading pressure, distress among clients and their retirement planning is increasing drastically, compared to five years ago, according to a newly released survey from broker-dealer Edward Jones and Cerulli Associates. 

About 43% of financial advisors stated that their clients are largely anxious about retirement planning. Meanwhile, 70% of financial advisors say market volatility is the main concern for their businesses. On the other hand, approximately 74% of clients remain “optimistic” about their financial perspective, due to their relationship with their financial advisors. 

The survey, conducted between March and April by Edward Jones and Cerulli Associates, which collected feedback from over 496 financial advisors and 1,800 retail investors across the U.S. and Canada, signified that advisors are more focused on keeping their clients on track with their retirement plans and exploring various options for diversifying their clients’ portfolios. 

Approximately 47% of advisors stated that they do not plan to make changes to clients’ financial propositions due to President Trump’s tariffs, with about 41% of advisors stating in response to geopolitical uncertainty and about 41% on market volatility. 

The transfer of wealth continues to be a top priority for advisors and their clients, with about 51% of advisors stating that this was a conversation driver for their high-net-worth client base, according to the survey. 

“We emphasize a proactive planning service model,” Norm Cauntay, a financial advisor at Edward Jones, said to Connect Money. “So rather than waiting for clients to bring up needs, we develop a standard annual review process that includes life stage planning, retirement readiness, and an estate planning checkpoint.” 

As clients continue to grow their assets, their needs and financial viewpoints change, with financial planning becoming a larger part of financial advisors’ operations.

Approximately 51% of U.S. financial advisors are currently offering comprehensive ongoing planning advice. Meanwhile, that figure is expected to increase to 59% in the next two years, and 30% of advisors revealed that financial planning capabilities are one of the most valuable elements their firm offers. 

“While it’s important to have a good grasp of what is available out there in the marketplace, it’s really important to understand our clients’ risk. It’s more about financial planning and creating solutions for what’s most important and having the right tools for that,” Cauntay said.