Survey: Advisors impact how Americans approach retirement planning

By Lauren McNitt

ProWEB Wire (Industry News)

Consulting a financial advisor makes a difference in how Americans approach retirement, according to a new Franklin Templeton Survey.

Two-thirds of Americans who work with a financial advisor understand how much of their retirement savings they can withdraw annual in retirement, while just 36 percent of those without an advisor are aware. Furthermore, 35 percent of those who without an advisor said they don’t think about how they will approach difference sources of retirement income.

In addition, just 19 percent of those who work with an advisor said Social Security will provide most of their income in retirement, compared with 38 percent of those who don’t have an advisor.

While fewer than one quarter of individuals work with an advisor, according to the survey, 47 percent said they would go to an advisor if the advisor provided a written retirement plan. Of those who don’t have an advisor, 41 percent said it is because they do not think they are wealthy enough to warrant it. Another 30 percent said they prefer to do their financial planning themselves.