Schwab's 2026 Independent Advisor Outlook Study: RIAs Embrace What's New Without Losing What Sets the Industry Apart
Charles Schwab's Advisor Services unit released its 2026 Independent Advisor Outlook Study, an annual survey of 1,235 RIAs custodied at Schwab representing $497 billion in AUM. The findings show RIAs leaning on the fiduciary model and client referrals (70%) for growth while expanding into alternatives (45%), private markets (37%), and AI-enabled workflows (49%).
Key figures
- Survey aum
- $497 billion
- Advisors surveyed
- 1235
- Pct using agentic ai
- 7%
- Pct expecting referral growth
- 70%
- Pct offering alternative investments
- 45%
AI analysis
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AI-generated analysis of a public disclosure. Not investment advice; verify against the original document.