2022 Independent Advisor Outlook Study
For 15 years, Schwab Advisor Services’ Independent Advisor Outlook Study (IAOS) has sought to gauge sentiment on key topics and issues of the moment for independent advisors. The latest findings highlight advisors' outlook on growth, perceived opportunities and barriers in the current environment, anticipated client interest in personalized investments—especially among millennials—and long-term perspectives on talent management.
Key findings
- RIAs of all sizes continue to expect strong business growth over the next five years.
- Investment personalization will continue to increase in importance.
- Advisors are confident that their firms' talent strategy reflects the needs of their future client base, and they are hiring today to ensure they have the skills to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
- While most firms are expecting to grow, a closer look reveals firms lean into different levers to drive this growth.

About the survey
The Independent Advisor Outlook Study (IAOS) is an online study conducted for Charles Schwab by Logica Research. Logica Research is neither affiliated with, nor employed by, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. The study was conducted from October 12 through October 28, 2021. 723 independent investment advisors who custody assets with Schwab Advisor Services and TD Ameritrade Institutional participated, representing a total of $291B in assets under management (AUM). Participation is voluntary, participants are not incentivized, and the typical (median) survey length was 11 minutes.
Meida contact: Meredith Richard
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