Financial Guidance Survey

The National Financial Educators Council has released the latest results from its trusted financial guidance survey. This survey is designed to provide data that help identify where adults turn when they have financial questions and whether they have access to a trusted source of financial guidance.

The survey was conducted from December 24 to January 6, 2026. The NFEC surveyed 1,200 adults across the United States and asked:

When you have a financial question, who do you turn to for trusted financial guidance?

The results show that family is the most common source of trusted financial guidance, while one in four respondents reported that they do not have anyone trusted to turn to when they have financial questions.

Methodology

Data were collected by Prodege, a consumer insights firm, via the Pollfish platform using targeted demographic criteria, stratified sampling, and randomized real-time recruitment across mobile apps and websites. The sample was limited to individuals who had graduated from high school. Protege ensures data quality through AI-driven screening, fraud-detection protocols, and a rigorous validation process, thereby supporting high standards of accuracy and reliability.

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Survey Results

1200 Respondents between December 24 to January 6, 2026

37.5%

Family

12.6%

Friends / Coworkers

24.8%

Licensed Financial Professionals

25%

I Don’t Have Anyone Trusted to Turn to

Past Survey Results

1,001 Respondents between September 23th and October 6th, 2021

40.8%

Parents, Family, Friends, or Coworkers

33.4%

Financial Professionals

25.8%

I Don’t Have Anyone Trusted to Turn To

1,251 Respondents between September 26th and October 2nd, 2020

39.7%

Parents, Family, Friends, or Coworkers

35.9%

Financial Professionals

24.4%

I Don’t Have Anyone Trusted to Turn To

1038 Respondents between September to December 2019

362 Respondents ages 18 to 34

37.4%

Parents / Guardians

22.4%

I Don’t Have Anyone Trusted to Turn to

22.4%

Financial Professionals (advisors, etc.)

9.9%

Friends / Coworkers

8%

Siblings / Extended Family

343 Respondents ages 35 to 54

35%

Financial Professionals (advisors, etc.)

22.2%

I Don’t Have Anyone Trusted to Turn to

17.4%

Parents / Guardians

14.9%

Friends / Coworkers

10.5%

Siblings / Extended Family

333 Respondents at or over 55 years old

41.4%

Financial Professionals (advisors, etc.)

24.3%

I Don’t Have Anyone Trusted to Turn to

14.1%

Friends / Coworkers

11.4%

Siblings / Extended Family

9%

Parents / Guardians

Additional Financial Guidance Information

National Financial Educators Council Where to Turn for Trusted Financial Guidance

Financial Conduct Authority (2017). Consumer Explanations of “Advice and Guidance.” London, UK: FCA. https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/research/fawg-consumer-explanations-advice-guidance.pdf

InvestmentNews Coverage of Survey Results

Financial Advisor IQ reacts to the Financial Guidance Survey Results.

Certified Financial Planner ® Board of Standards, Inc. (2017). Continuing Education Policies. Washington, DC: CFPBS. https://www.cfp.net/for-cfp-professionals/continuing-education

National Financial Educators Council  Financial Guidance

Forbes’ coverage of the need for financial literacy, citing this survey.