Jackson: Advisors Ready for Alternative Assets

The reason for increased interest in alternative investments was fairly consistent among all advisors surveyed, with nearly two-thirds citing further diversification as their primary reason. Although there is a palpable excitement among advisors, many of those surveyed admitted to some trepidation. Advisors said that they were particularly fuzzy about the practical use of alternatives as well as understanding how to utilize them in their client’s portfolios.

There is a conspicuous knowledge gap that advisors have when it comes to implementing alternative assets, those surveyed hope that guided strategies from product providers will be able to collapse that space. More than 95 percent of respondents said that guided strategies would be very or somewhat important in their construction of client portfolios.

“The trend toward alternative asset classes among retail investors has been growing steadily for the past several years and this survey highlights the growing demand for new strategies. Over the last decade, markets have experienced record volatility. We’re entering a new era of diversification and alternative asset classes are becoming a significant part of that development,” said Clifford Jack, executive vice president and head of retail for Jackson.