People are usually warned against talking about politics or religion, but Spectrem Group feels advisors should talk to their clients about the upcoming presidential election.
Investors want their advisors to talk about it, Spectrem says—not about the candidates themselves but about the financial implications of the election, according to the company’s report, “Wealthy Investors and the Election: A Guide for Financial Advisors in 2020.”
Approximately one-third of investors expect their financial advisors to reach out to them should something regarding the election potentially impact their financial lives or their portfolios, said Spectrem, which surveyed 1,054 people with at least $100,000 in investable assets.
“While investors are generally happy with the amount of communication they currently receive from their advisors, in 2020 advisors need to communicate regularly, [especially] when there is something important clients need to know because of the election,” said Catherine McBreen, Spectrem’s managing director, in the report. “Almost half of investors believe the election will have an impact on how they make decisions regarding their portfolio in 2020.”
Whether or not investors support President Trump, 42% feel his re-election would be good for the economy. “Investors believe that the Dow, currently flirting with 30,000, will fall below 23,000 should President Trump fail to be re-elected,” McBreen said. More than a third (36%) believe the economy would be negatively impacted. Investors are almost evenly split on whether their financial situation would be better or worse at the end of 2020 than it is now.
“Regardless of what your clients might think about the candidates involved in the election, investors are concerned about the impact of the election on their investments,” Spectrem said. “Advisors need to be proactive rather than reactive regarding how the election may impact their investors.”
“Advisors do not need to discuss the investors’ political affiliations or how they intend to vote in November,” the firm continued. “Focus on how the election may impact the market during 2020 and agree upon how often they would like to review various holdings based upon potential volatility.”
For those investors who follow the news closely, it is important to confidently address any concerns they may have based on their understanding of the issues, the report said. “Conversely, also keep investors who are not ‘tuned in’ to financial issues informed. Be ready to provide information to investors who are just vaguely familiar with various topics. They may be looking to their advisor to keep them informed.”