Value of an Advisor in 2026: Insights from Russell Investments’ 13-Year Study

Key Takeaways:

• The study highlights how advisors contribute across multiple areas—including asset allocation, behavioral coaching, tax-aware investing and personalized wealth planning—reflecting the evolving nature of financial advice.
• Advisors help investors navigate significant life events and market uncertainty by providing perspective, discipline and alignment to long-term financial plans.
• Russell Investments’ 13-year study continues to refine a framework designed to help investors understand the role of advice and support advisors in delivering services aligned to client priorities.

You wake up one morning expecting an ordinary day. Then life happens. A major event. An unexpected health scare. A decision you never thought you’d have to make and one that may have real financial consequences.

In moments like these, information alone isn’t enough. What matters is judgment and perspective. Having someone who understands not just the markets, but you, your priorities, your concerns and what matters and what’s at stake.

This is when the potential value of a financial advisor may become more apparent. Beyond managing investments, they can help navigate life’s difficult and important decisions, which may help provide perspective during periods of uncertainty and support alignment of your financial plan.

At Russell Investments, we believe that guidance can play an important role in supporting investor outcomes. Each year, we take a closer look at that value using the framework we developed more than a decade ago and continue to refine:

The role of a financial advisor has evolved significantly over time and that evolution is reflected in our 2026 Value of an Advisor formula. This study is designed with two objectives in mind.

First, to help investors better understand, and feel confident in, the value of financial advice, especially in a world where information is abundant, but financial lives are becoming increasingly complex as wealth grows and priorities evolve.

Second, to encourage advisors to take a step back and reflect on their own approach, helping them evaluate whether they are delivering what clients value most: personalized solutions aligned to individual priorities, ongoing counsel and sound judgment during periods of uncertainty, thoughtful wealth planning that considers the needs of the entire family and a focus on helping clients keep more of what they earn through tax-aware strategies. In an environment where cost pressures on advice continue to rise, clearly demonstrating this value has never been more important.

Asset allocation

At the foundation is building an investment strategy aligned to personal and family goals and comfort with risk. Advisors help design a portfolio that can navigate changing market conditions; while keeping you focused on the bigger picture, so short-term movements are less likely to derail long-term progress.

Behavioral coaching

Some of the most important decisions investors make happen during moments of uncertainty and personal challenges. Advisors provide perspective and discipline helping keep decisions grounded in a plan rather than headlines or emotions.

Personalized wealth planning

Financial plans aren’t static; they evolve as life changes. Advisors help connect your investments to what matters most, adjusting the plan as clients move through different stages of life and helping prepare for both expected milestones and unexpected events.

Tax-smart planning and investing

Keeping more of what you make is just as important as how you invest it. Many advisors take a thoughtful approach to taxes, considering account types, investment choices, timing and personalized, tax-aware strategies tailored to individual circumstances.

Much of an advisor’s work happens behind the scenes and can be difficult to see day to day. But its impact on clients’ lives and their wellbeing is often most meaningful in the moments that matter most, when decisions carry weight and outcomes have lasting consequences.

At Russell Investments, we believe in the value of advisors. We see potential advantages that working with an advisor may bring to investors and families. We work with advisors every day and see the commitment they bring to relationships. Our annual study seeks to measure and illustrate aspects of that value.