Highlights of findings from Edelman Financial Communications group’s second annual Trust in U.S. Financial Services Survey. The questions were fielded in November 2010 to gauge the level of trust individual investors feel in relation to financial services companies, professionals and regulations.

1. TRUST IN U.S. FINANCIAL SERVICES
PRESENTED BY:
increased 5%
decreased 46%
Financial services
companies have
acted in a greedy
manner (57%)
The industry
itself has made
the problems
worse (18%)
TRUST IN FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Other 21% 67%
remained the
same 48% 55%
49%
45%
43% 42%
37%
35%
32%
pr
pr
co
lar
inv
mu
br
l i fe
fin
op
i va
mm
ok
ge
es
an
tua
ert
ins
te
era
tm
cia
un
na
l fu
y/c
eq
ur
ge
en
ity
tio
l in
an
nd
uit
as
50% 47%
tb
na
firm
or
sti
ce
ua
yfi
co
an
lb
tut
re
lty
co
s
mp
rm
ks
an
gio
ion
mp
ins
s
ks
an
na
si
an
ur
ies
lb
ng
ies
an
an
en
ce
ks
er
co
al
mp
need for expert & professional help to manage money
an
ies
60% 34%
uncertain about value of large financial services firms for money management
agree strongly agree somewhat disagree somewhat disagree strongly (don’t know)
62%
48%
SOURCES OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION
36%
CREDIBLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION
YOUR BROKER, ADVISOR, AGENT OR BANKER 37%
14% PORTFOLIO MANAGER 15%
FRIENDS OR FAMILY 14%
4% NEWS MEDIA 12%
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS SUCH AS 9%
PRESS RELEASES, REPORTS, AND EMAILS
(NONE) 7%
CEO OR OTHER SENIOR EXECUTIVES 5%
REGULATED LESS
REGULATED MORE
CURRENT REGULATION
IS SUFFICENT
DON’T KNOW DON’T KNOW
YES
Are there problems
NO
SO WHAT?
beyond those addressed
in Dodd-Frank?
Government regulatory
agencies such as the All the entities
SEC or Federal Reserve should work together
21% 65%
WHO SHOULD BE
Financial services
companies
MOST RESPONSIBLE
FOR ADDRESSING Other
6% PROBLEMS FACING 3%
THE INDUSTRY?
Congress Don’t know
3% 2%