2025 Fee-for-Service Industry Trend Report Survey Financial Planning & Client Demographics Question Title * 1. With fee-for-service financial planning, are you most often billing a one-time or subscription model? One-time Engagement Subscription Question Title * 2. How frequently do you bill clients when using a subscription model? Monthly Quarterly Semi Annually Question Title * 3. How are you adjusting your fee-for-service pricing for 2025? Decrease No Change Increase 1%-2% Increase 3%-5% Increase 6%-9% Increase 10% or more Question Title * 4. Which fee structures do you currently use in your practice? Select all that apply. Assets Under Management (AUM) Subscription-Based Fee Flat Fee Hourly Fee Annual/Retainer Fee Question Title * 5. Beyond financial planning, which additional service(s) do you offer to clients? Select all that apply. Estate Planning Tax Planning & Preparation Cash Flow Management Advising on Held-Away Accounts (e.g., 401(k), IRAs) Healthcare and Long-Term Care Planning Investment Management College Education and Student Loan Planning Employee Benefits Review and Optimization Debt Management and Consolidation Insurance and Life Planning Financial Literacy Education or Workshops Business Planning, Development, or Advising Retirement Income and Distribution Planning Philanthropic and Charitable Giving Strategies Real Estate Planning and Advising Other (please specify) Question Title * 6. Which client demographics do you primarily serve? Select all that apply. Gen Z (Born 1997–2012) Millennials/Gen Y (Born 1981–1996) Gen X (Born 1965–1980) Baby Boomers (Born 1946–1964) Silent Generation (Born 1928–1945) Other (please specify) Question Title * 7. How many clients/households do you serve? Question Title * 8. How many client referrals do you typically receive in a year? Systems and Technology Question Title * 9. What was your average monthly budget for systems and technology in 2024? $0 $1-$249 $250-$449 $500-$999 $1000-$1499 $1500-$1999 $2000-$2499 $2500-$2999 $3000+ Question Title * 10. How are you adjusting your monthly budget for systems and technology in 2025? Decrease No Change Increase 1%-2% Increase 3%-5% Increase 6%-9% Increase 10% or more Question Title * 11. What types of systems and technology are you planning to invest in during 2025? Select all that apply. Financial Planning Software Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software Payments and Billing Solutions eSignature Tools Accounting and Bookkeeping Software Portfolio Management Systems Data Security and Cybersecurity Tools Compliance and Regulatory Management Software Marketing and Lead Generation Software Productivity, Workflow, and Automation Tools Client Communication Tools Other (please specify) Question Title * 12. What was the most significant business challenge you faced in 2024?Select the option that best applies. Attracting new clients Retaining existing clients Adopting and implementing new technology Adjusting fee structures Meeting compliance and reporting requirements Navigating economic uncertainty Improving operational efficiency Hiring, retaining, or managing staff Balancing workload and time management Other (please specify) Question Title * 13. What do you see as the biggest challenges or threats to the future of financial advice? Growth of robo-advisors and automated financial tools Non-traditional companies (e.g., tech or retail firms) entering the financial advice space 401(k) and retirement plan providers offering financial advice directly Rapid advancements in AI and machine learning impacting advisor roles Widespread access to free or low-cost trading and investment platforms Increasing regulatory requirements driving up operational costs Challenges in demonstrating the value of personalized advice to clients Other (please specify) Question Title * 14. What are your top approaches to growth in 2025? Marketing and Client Communication Question Title * 15. What are the top marketing channels you use? Select all that apply. Blog Email Referrals Social Media Website Webinars or Virtual Events In-Person Conferences & Networking Events Podcast PR Paid Advertisement Other (please specify) Question Title * 16. What was your average monthly budget for marketing initiatives in 2024? $0 $1-$249 $250-$449 $500-$999 $1000-$1499 $1500-$1999 $2000-$2499 $2500-$2999 $3000+ Question Title * 17. How are you adjusting your marketing budget in 2025? Decrease No Change Increase 1%-2% Increase 3%-5% Increase 6%-9% Increase 10% or more Question Title * 18. How frequently do you communicate with your clients throughout the year? Weekly Biweekly Monthly Quarterly Twice a year Annually As needed Question Title * 19. How do you typically communicate with your clients? Select all that apply. Email Phone calls Video conferencing (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) In-person meetings Client portal or secure messaging platform Text messages Social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook) Newsletters (digital or print) Other (please specify) Experience and Insights Question Title * 20. How many years have you been providing client services? Question Title * 21. Do you have a niche? If so, what is it? No Yes (please specify) Question Title * 22. How are you tracking the success of the fee-for-service portion of your business? Question Title * 23. Provide a quote based on your fee-for-service financial planning experience to be featured in the industry report. This could include best practices, advice, or tips. Question Title * 24. What is your email address? This will ensure you’re one of the first to receive a copy of the report. Done