Edward Jones has taken the top spot for overall satisfaction among advised investors in a new JD Power survey, even as fintech platforms gain ground with younger, self-directed clients and more of those investors say they are open to working with an advisor.
The 2026 US Investor Satisfaction Study from JD Power captures a generational inflection point for wealth management. As Gen Y moves into higher-earning years and Gen Z begins to think beyond near-term savings, younger investors are gravitating toward digital-first experiences and showing more willingness to pay for guidance — but often on their own terms.
On the self-directed side, fintech brands made their first appearance among the highest-ranked do-it-yourself platforms in the JD Power rankings, which the research firm says points to a potential changing of the guard.
“Two of the top three ranked brands for do-it-yourself [DIY] investor satisfaction in this year’s study are FinTechs, which is noteworthy because they are increasingly being viewed not only as innovators but also as trusted brands – and attracting affluent investors along the way,” said Mike Foy, managing director of the wealth management practice at JD Power.
The survey also detected a narrowing of the trust gap this year, with a 7 percentage-point increase in the share of DIY investors under 40 who call fintech platforms “trustworthy.” Among those younger investors, brands such as SoFi – whose use of debt and business model has put it in the crosshairs of Muddy Waters, the notorious short seller – and Ally are now seen as more innovative than established firms and just as trustworthy, helped by easy-to-use digital tools and streamlined onboarding.
At the same time, the idea that digital platforms will crowd out human advisors looks less certain. Among affluent DIY investors with at least $250,000 in investable assets, 19% of those under 50 say they are definitely likely to start working with an advisor in the next year, nearly double the 10% reported in 2025.
For affluent DIY investors with children at home, that figure jumps to 24%, up from 15% a year earlier. Robo advice also appears to be a funnel to human advice: 17% of DIY investors who use robo platforms say they are definitely likely to hire an advisor in the next year, compared with 4% of those who do not use robo tools.
Those findings echo earlier research from Cerulli on self-directed investors. Cerulli reported in 2024 that more than half of investors in self-directed accounts value the ability to speak with a human specialist attached to their provider, yet just 39% have ever used that option. The firm also found that 42% of investors would likely pay to talk to a human specialist, with younger and less experienced investors the most willing to pay for episodic advice.
“By identifying the moments of greatest need, transitioning clients to more advised relationships can lead to increased walletshare and more harmonious one-stop shopping for all financial needs, creating loyal customers for decades to come,” John McKenna, analyst at Cerulli, said at the time.
Against that backdrop, the JD Power rankings highlight a split landscape. Edward Jones ranks highest in overall satisfaction among advised investors, with a score of 754, followed by US Bank at 746 and Ameriprise at 743. Other must-mention firms include UBS (727), JPMorgan (725), Raymond James (724), LPL (714), and Wells Fargo (714).
On the DIY side, SoFi leads with a score of 724, while Citi places second at 710 and Ally and Fidelity tie for third at 707.
For Edward Jones, the client-satisfaction win lands as the firm navigates elevated advisor turnover. A recent industry analysis by Muriel Consulting found nearly 6,000 advisors left the firm between 2021 and 2025, with departures jumping to 1,458 in 2025 – a 35% increase from 2024 – with a growing share of exits coming from long-tenured brokers rather than newer hires.
The JD Power study also suggests many traditional advisors still have work to do on intergenerational planning. Just 51% of investors under 40 with a dedicated advisor, and 39% of those 40 and older, say they have discussed future wealth transfer needs.
Only 18% say their advisor has brought additional family members into those conversations, even as the industry focuses on positioning for the coming transfer of assets.
The AI numbers came in far below the pitch - and the stock paid for it.
A rewritten governance law gets its first court test, and one pay claim lives on.
The fee-only integrator is adding $311.6 million in assets and specialized planning expertise to its presence in the Sunshine State.
CEO Vlad Tenev calls the proactive restructuring a bid to build a leaner team, coming as the brokerage rolled out its RIA referral program earlier this month.
The titanic asset manager's latest "How America Saves" shows wins in 401(k) plan design, employee participation, and savings rates, with dark spots in hardship withdrawals and company stock.
As $84 trillion prepares to change hands, advisors who treat estate planning as peripheral are quietly building a sieve, not a book.
In volatile markets, the advisors who win aren't the ones with the best calls - they're the ones whose clients stay the course.
