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2026 Financial Adviser Survey

A younger client base is reshaping the advice profession, but fragmented systems are holding it back

FE fundinfo's 2026 Financial Adviser Survey reveals how a growing younger client base is driving advisers to modernise their operations.

Meanwhile, AI adoption, fragmented technology and data quality are determining which firms will be best placed to meet the demands of the next generation of clients. 

Download the full report to learn: 

  • How widespread AI adoption already is across the profession, and the efficiency gains advisers are seeing
  • Why fragmented systems are offsetting AI's benefits, and what it costs advisers in time each week
  • How the growth of a younger, under-50 client base is changing what clients expect from their adviser
  • Why integration, not more tooling, is the defining operational priority for advice firms right now

What's inside

Highlights from the survey

Advisers are scaling their use of AI, adapting to a generational shift in their client base, and grappling with the hidden cost of disconnected systems. Here is what the research found.

  • AI adoption is near-universal

    95% of advisers have onboarded AI tooling, with 51% reporting time savings of over five hours per user each week.

  • A younger client base is taking over

    96% of advisers reported an increase in clients under 50, and 32% of the current client base for respondents' practices is already under 40.

  • Fragmented systems remain the critical barrier

    95% of advisers say they use too many software tools, and half spend between four and six hours each week reconciling data across different platforms.

Download the full report