Financial planning tools and resources, and expanded support for complex planning, remain core priorities for investment advisors and their firms, according to the Investment Executive 2026 Brokerage Report Card. Both the importance and performance benchmark averages for the financial planning support & technology category have been rising since 2017.
Advisors placed the financial planning support category among the 10 that are most important to them and their clients (Read How advisors, brokerages are navigating today’s dynamic advice industry). The category’s benchmark importance average for 2026 was 9.4 out of 10, unchanged from 2025 but higher than in 2017.
Meanwhile, the category’s benchmark performance average was 8.8 from 8.7 in 2025 and 8.1 in 2017.
Similarly, more than 90% of advisors said they offered detailed financial plans in four of the past five years. That’s up from 85.5% in 2017.
Among the advisors who create wealth plans, access to good tools and experts is key. Multiple firms in our 2025 Report Card were enhancing their planning infrastructure and processes to ensure advisors could deliver for clients — which helps explain why the financial planning performance average benchmark remained high.
In the 2026 report, most firms had consistent or improved ratings for the financial planning support category (read main data table). Of the 12 rated in that area, eight saw no significant shift in either direction (by 0.5 or more) — suggesting consistency in each of their wealth management support approaches year over year.
Performance ratings for the firms ranged between 7.9 and 9.7.
As reported in our Brokerage Report Card highlights guide, nine firms have prioritized wealth-planning enhancements. Measures include making digital adjustments and hiring more human experts, as well as supporting intergenerational planning processes.
About two-thirds of the average investment advisor’s clients had detailed financial plans, according to the 2026 report. That figure was 55.2% in 2017.
The Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Investment Manager designations have long been the two most held by advisors polled in the Brokerage Report Card. The data between 2017 and 2026 show a notable increase in the percentage of advisors reporting these credentials.
Financial planning and complex wealth planning are key service offerings for today’s advisors. Even among those who don’t offer wealth planning, the average importance rating of financial planning support by firms was 8.9.
Those advisors came from multiple firms, and they depended on advanced planning teams within their companies rather than creating plans themselves. Their main ask was that internal planners’ capacity be well managed and that tools remain updated.
For more on the average advisor’s needs for quality planning tools, read Firm culture and planning support drive advisor satisfaction.