Retail banks and card issuers have poured money into financial advice and support tools, but a new JD Power study finds they are struggling to turn those investments into lasting customer engagement, with awareness lagging and a large share of consumers still feeling financial strain.
The 2026 U.S. Financial Health Support and Advice Study found that 47% of customers recall receiving at least one form of banking advice, yet there is little evidence that advice is driving sustained financial action. Financial well-being remains split: 38% of customers are financially healthy, while 40% are financially vulnerable. That vulnerable figure is down three points from 2025 but still elevated against long-term trends.
“Maybe they aren’t in crisis mode, but they are sending many signals something’s not quite right and they want guidance on how to improve,” said Jennifer White, managing director of financial services intelligence at JD Power, in a published report.
What customers want: Short-term, practical help. The most in-demand topics are quick tips to improve a financial situation (26%), saving for emergencies (25%), and staying on budget (23%). Demand for day-to-day support outpaces interest in long-term planning.
The awareness gap: Fewer than one in six bank and card customers know when new advice and support resources are introduced. White attributes this to a disconnect between what institutions offer and how they nudge people toward it, not to indifference from banks.
The AI signal: 53% of customers reported turning to artificial intelligence for financial advice in the past three months. Most still prefer marketing communications and bank representatives, but AI is emerging as a competitive channel for guidance.
The payoff for getting it right is measurable. Just 20% of bank customers and 16% of card customers say their provider always personalizes what they receive, but when institutions nail personalization, satisfaction scores climb sharply.
For collection operations, healthcare providers, and fintechs serving these same consumers, the findings reinforce a familiar truth: the people most likely to fall behind are signaling that they want help, often before a balance goes delinquent. The opportunity lies in meeting them with relevant, personalized outreach rather than one-off contact. As White put it, the risk of falling behind is customers left struggling and deposits walking out the door.
