3 min read
How Financial Advisors Can Deliver Greater Value in 2026
A look inside the Morningstar Insights Webinar Q&A.
In a fast-changing advisory landscape, staying relevant means evolving just as quickly as your clients’ expectations. Our research supports what many have suspected: Highlighting return numbers isn’t enough to build long-lasting trust. Now, investors expect personalized strategies that align with their goals and risk tolerance—and are explained to them in terms they understand.
Here, we dive into the audience Q&A from our recent webinar on Morningstar’s 2025 advisor survey. We’ll answer the key questions advisors are asking right now, and offer practical takeaways that can help turn our research into meaningful impact for your practice.
Q: How does Morningstar measure non-financial client satisfaction?
A: Non-financial client satisfaction is rooted in the broader value advisors deliver—well beyond investment returns. Our research has long shown that advisors drive better outcomes by helping clients optimize portfolios, manage insurance needs, and stay disciplined through behavioral coaching. These elements, while not always reflected in account performance, can meaningfully shape an investor’s overall experience and longterm success.
Q: How should advisors balance data-driven insights and human trust in maintaining strong client relationships?
A: Many advisors have revealed that clients are being increasingly influenced by algorithm-driven content and getting investment ideas through digital platforms. So, it’s crucial that advisors have access to high-quality, reliable data to provide to clients. Trusted information supports informed conversations, helps evaluate investment options, and reinforces alignment with long-term financial plans.
Q: How do most high-net-worth investors define risk, and how does that differ from other investors?
A: Risk is often defined in personal terms rather than purely through volatility or market-based measures. For many investors, risk centers on the possibility of running out of money or outliving their savings.
For high-net-worth investors, it’s a little different. For them, risk tends to shift toward ensuring long-term priorities are protected. This means preserving legacy, taking care of heirs, and aligning wealth with personal goals and values.
Q: What is the most important takeaway from the advisor survey?
A: The survey showed a significant gap between what investors are concerned about and what the industry often assumes is most important. Inflation emerged as a leading concern to investors, yet inflation is not necessarily the top concern in the industry. This gap reinforces the importance of staying closely aligned with client priorities.
There’s also a noticeable gap in how advisors perceive their value and how clients experience it. Doing the work is not enough on its own; clearly communicating that value helps clients better understand the advisor’s role and reinforces trust.
Efficiency was also a recurring theme. As advisors gain time through technology and improved processes, being intentional about how that time is reinvested, whether through more frequent engagement or deeper conversations, becomes increasingly important.
Q: What areas are expected to become a greater focus in 2026 and beyond?
A: Long-term investing is expected to remain a central topic, particularly as investors balance long-term goals with the appeal of popular short-term opportunities such as crypto or trending stocks. Understanding how investors define long-term success and how they approach investing over time will continue to be an important area of focus.
The advisor-client relationship will also shape practice success going forward, including how advisors build trust, provide education, and personalize guidance. These elements are becoming increasingly important as investor expectations continue to rise.
