Planning for retirement remains a top concern for many Americans, but that hasn’t resulted in a greater reliance on financial planners.
This year’s National Consumer Survey on Personal Finance by the CFP Board of Standards suggests the nation’s advisors have a big void to fill when it comes to the way the public is preparing for retirement.
The survey of 1,742 consumers found that 51% of respondents listed building a retirement fund as one of their most important financial concerns. Forty percent cited managing retirement income.
Yet 64% of respondents said they did not have a financial plan, and only 17% said they have a financial plan that they update regularly.
“These results tell us that Americans of every type of background and income level think carefully about their assets and how to improve their financial state,” said Eleanor Blayney, consumer advocate for the CFP Board. “We also see that many lack an understanding that everyone can benefit from having a financial plan, regardless of one’s wealth or social status.”
Among the reasons cited for not having a financial plan were the expense of hiring an advisor, the feeling by some that their financial situation wasn’t complicated enough to merit professional involvement and confusion over the qualifications of financial intermediaries. Forty percent said they were not aware of any credentials for financial professionals.
