Specific Elements of Communication That Affect Trust and Commitment in the Financial Planning Process.

This study used survey data from 554 planners and 128 clients of those planners to examine the relationship between specific communication tasks, communication skills, communication topics, and client trust in and commitment to their financial planner and to the financial planning process. Communication skills significantly correlated with client trust and commitment were identified, providing an empirical basis for best practices in the financial planning process. Results provide empirical support for CFP® Practice Standards relative to planner-client communication tasks and for planners taking a life planning approach to the content of planner-client discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]