Celebrating Financial Literacy Month despite the market's meltdown

A quick reminder that April remains Financial Literacy Month no matter the market’s swoon.

Of course, it is understandable that the recent correction in stocks has turned most wealth managers’ attentions to matters more immediate, like responding to anxious client calls or perhaps tax harvesting.

Nevertheless, April comes once a year, so despite all that is going on in the market – and it’s certainly a lot - InvestmentNews thought it was important to check in with some of our favorite financial advisors to learn more about why financial literacy is so important in building their practices and preparing themselves for volatile times like these.  

Paul Saganey, CEO and founder at Integrated Partners

“In my years leading our financial planning firm, I've discovered that knowledge isn't just power, it's the essential vehicle that carries advisors up what I call the ‘Complexity Curve’. Let me share something I've observed repeatedly: As advisors deepen their expertise, they gain access to increasingly complex client situations that most of our industry simply isn't equipped to handle. This knowledge-driven journey transforms good advisors into exceptional ones.”

“The data speaks volumes. When advisors in our organization commit to structured, continuous education, their practices grow by more than 20 percent annually, dramatically outpacing the industry average of 2 to 3 percent. This growth isn't coincidental. It's the direct result of advisors expanding their knowledge base across tax strategies, business succession planning, advanced estate techniques, and other sophisticated areas.”

“We've built our entire professional development approach around what we call ‘Confidence Building’, the critical point where expanding knowledge meets the comfort to apply it in increasingly complex scenarios. Our advisor study groups, specialized educational classes, and comprehensive case consultations aren't merely academic exercises—they're practical laboratories where knowledge transforms into applicable expertise. Each time an advisor masters a new planning strategy or tax concept, I see their capacity to serve sophisticated clients visibly expand.”

Brent Weiss, head of financial wellness at Facet

“It comes as no surprise that the financial services industry is changing rapidly. Not only do advisors need to meet their commitment to being experts at their craft, but now they must learn to evolve as AI and technology change the very work we do and the role we play in the planner/client relationship.”

“At Facet, we developed our own future of work program to adapt to the changing world of financial advice. In a rapidly changing environment, it’s important to provide advisor education for where the industry is headed and not where it has been. As Wayne Gretzky famously said, you need to ‘skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.’”

“Our take is that advisor education is no longer just about continuing education, it’s about a continuing evolution as AI and technology reshape the role we play as advisors. While this can feel a little scary and daunting to many, we believe our greatest opportunities lie ahead of us. AI will not replace the human advisor. In fact, it will serve as the foundation and catalyst to accelerate our transition from solely financial advisors to trusted and valued life partners.”

Ritik Malhotra, founder & CEO at Savvy Wealth

“When I sold my first company in my early twenties, I faced a problem many would consider a privilege, what to do with a life-changing amount of money. But like so many others, I had little understanding of how to manage it responsibly. That moment became my introduction to financial advice and, more importantly, to the gap in financial literacy that so many successful individuals, especially young entrepreneurs, face.

“The advice I received was simple: Find a financial advisor. What followed was a six-year deep dive, speaking with over 100 advisors, trying to make sense of a complex system that felt outdated and opaque.”

“That experience is what inspired me to found Savvy Wealth. I wanted to build a modern platform that not only supports advisors, but empowers them to deliver real, human-first advice, especially to the next generation of clients who are building wealth earlier than ever before. Financial literacy is personal to me because I lived through the uncertainty it can cause. I believe everyone deserves access to great advice and the tools to understand it. At Savvy, we’re not just building technology, we’re building a movement to make financial education and long-term advice more accessible, relatable, and impactful.”