Most US adults prefer self-directed internet research when seeking financial guidance, even as they express far more confidence in professional financial advisors, according to a new study released by Edward Jones.
The Gallup survey of more than 5000 American adults found that three-quarters of respondents sought financial guidance from at least one source in the past year. Among those who sought guidance, 73% said they used their own internet research, making it the dominant channel by a wide margin.
Family ranked second at 35%, followed by professional financial advisors at 32%, news and social media at 26%, and friends at 23%. Artificial intelligence tools including ChatGPT and similar chatbots, were used by 19% of guidance-seekers.
However, when respondents were asked how much they trust each source's expertise on money management, financial advisors came out on top: 79% said they have at least some confidence in a financial advisor's expertise, with roughly one in four saying they have a great deal of confidence.
Finance professors (64%), family members (62%), and friends or colleagues (54%) also ranked well, but only 3% of respondents said they have a great deal of confidence in AI.
Younger Americans are driving AI adoption in financial guidance, but even they remain skeptical of what it delivers.
About one in four Gen Z adults and millennials used AI tools for financial guidance in 2026, compared with just 7% of baby boomers. Among millennials, 36% said they have at least some confidence in AI tools, and only 32% of Gen Z adults said the same; meaning the majority of young adults using AI for financial decisions do not fully trust the results they receive.
That creates an opening for advisors working with younger clients. Gen Z guidance-seekers in the US use professional financial advisors at a rate of just 14%, compared with 55% among baby boomers. The data suggests that younger adults are far more likely to reach for a chatbot than to call an advisor; not because they trust AI more, but because the barrier to entry is lower.
The study introduces the concept of financial fulfilment, defined not simply by wealth or income, but by whether a person's financial life supports the way they want to live, including feelings of security, control and alignment with personal values. The study categorizes adults as financially fulfilled, financially conflicted or financially stressed.
The findings reveal a striking correlation between financial fulfillment and advisor use. Among financially fulfilled adults who sought guidance in the US, 60% worked with a professional financial advisor. Among those who are financially stressed and seeking guidance, that figure drops to just 14%. It is worth noting that the study does not argue that hiring an advisor causes financial fulfillment — income and net worth alone do not fully explain why some people feel financially secure while others do not. But it does suggest that financially fulfilled adults build a different kind of guidance portfolio, one that more frequently includes professional expertise alongside personal research and peer input.
For advisors, the data reinforces a recurring industry challenge: the clients who could benefit most from professional guidance are often the least likely to seek it. Financially stressed adults instead tend to rely on family (43%) and friends (28%) for advice — informal networks that may lack the expertise to address complex financial situations.
The study underscores a persistent paradox in the US financial advice market. Americans hold professional financial advisors in higher regard than any other guidance source, yet only about one in three guidance-seekers actually consults one. Meanwhile, nearly one in five turns to AI tools they largely do not trust.
Part of this gap may reflect access and awareness. Working with a financial advisor involves cost, time and a willingness to engage; barriers that are lower for wealthier, older, and already financially stable adults. The advisor profession has made headway in recent years on transparency and fee disclosure, but the data suggests that awareness of advisor value has not fully penetrated younger and more financially vulnerable segments of the population.
The takeaway is that the trust premium advisors hold is not being fully converted into client relationships. Closing that gap may be one of the more consequential challenges facing the advisory industry in the years ahead.
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