Financial advisors' clients are entering the second half of 2026 with a brighter view of their financial futures, according to the CFP Board's Summer 2026 CFP Professionals Sentiment Indices. The survey, which polled 423 certified financial planners between July 7 and July 19, found that 50% of respondents describe their clients' current financial outlook as positive, a sharp increase from the 36% recorded in the spring survey. The share reporting a negative client outlook fell to 8%, down from 14% in the winter, signaling a notable thaw in bearish sentiment.
The index measuring clients' financial outlook climbed to 71 this summer from 61 in the spring, even as the CFP Board noted that the improvement comes "despite heightened national concern about inflation and affordability and greater market volatility driven by the conflict in the Middle East." Planners report that client conversations this summer have centered on four recurring themes: a preference for staying focused on long-term goals despite short-term uncertainty, anxiety tied to market volatility, concerns over inflation and affordability—particularly energy and housing costs—and a tendency for clients to react emotionally to political and media coverage.
Against that backdrop, financial planners have been working to earn their fees. According to separate CFP Board research, median total compensation for financial planners reached $195,000 in 2025. Planners say they are spending significant time helping clients separate emotion from decision-making, a task that has become more critical as markets fluctuate.
The tension between improving sentiment and persistent cost pressure is evident in national data. A report drawing on the Urban Institute's December 2025 Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey found that 90% of more than 10,000 adults surveyed cited groceries and food prices among their biggest financial worries, according to CNBC. Roughly 35% of adults said they pay for groceries with a credit card and pay the balance in full each month, while another 20% carry a balance while making minimum payments. Food-at-home prices have risen approximately 25% over the past five years, a trend researchers say reflects sustained cost pressure rather than a short-term spike.
"There's no doubt that there's pressure in terms of affordability in this country," Marshall Lux, a visiting fellow at Georgetown University's Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy, told CNBC. The CFP Board survey found that cost-of-living concerns weigh heavily on clients' outlook regarding their life goals, particularly for those nearing retirement. This aligns with broader research on retiree worries about inflation, which remain a top concern even as other planning gaps emerge.
The pickup in client sentiment tracks with a separate improvement in investor confidence. Schwab's Q3 2026 Retail Client Sentiment Report, conducted June 16 to June 23, polled 1,123 retail clients and 1,100 active traders with at least $2,000 in assets. It found that 47% of retail clients describe themselves as bullish on U.S. equities, up from 28% in the second quarter, with bullishness among active traders climbing to 57% from 38%. Trading volumes rose 57% year over year, according to Jonathan Craig, head of retail investing at Charles Schwab, who called the shift "remarkable." For more details, see Schwab's Q3 survey.
Despite the exuberant mood, most survey respondents were conscious of potential froth in the market. Sixty-one percent of Schwab's retail clients believe the market is currently overvalued, up from 52% in the second quarter. Active traders now rank inflation as the dominant risk shaping markets for the remainder of 2026, cited by 52% of that group, ahead of geopolitical conflict and developments in artificial intelligence. The CFP Board survey similarly found that fear around market uncertainty dominated clients' investing decisions, with planners reporting that clients are holding more cash in their portfolios.
CFP professionals themselves are also feeling more assured about their own financial standing. A 61% majority describe their own financial outlook as positive, up from 54% in the spring survey and roughly in line with the 59% reading recorded a year ago. Nearly half say their own financial outlook has held steady over the past 12 months, while about a third report having grown more optimistic since spring last year. Over two-thirds report that their client bases have grown over the past year, with nearly an equal share anticipating continued expansion in the next 12 months.
For advisors, the data suggests that while affordability pressures remain acute, clients are increasingly willing to engage with long-term planning. As one planner noted, the key is to help clients navigate short-term noise without losing sight of their financial goals. The full CFP Board report offers a detailed look at how planners are adapting their practices to meet these challenges.
