Global Uncertainty Has Investors Running Scared: This Is ...

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Global Uncertainty Has Investors Running Scared: This Is How Advisers Can Reassure Them

How can advisers reassure clients nervous about their plans in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world? This conversational framework provides the key.

By Ben Sullivan, CFA®, CFP® published 17 February 2026 in Features

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Adviser cheerfully talking to two clients in a meeting room

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Clients today feel more uncertain than ever — and for good reason. At the macro level, what's driving this uncertainty can be summarized by a simple concept: Expectation vs reality.

In other words, it's common for there to be a mismatch between what we think will happen and what actually happens.

This creates a disorienting feedback loop that changes what people think assets are worth so rapidly that investors struggle to keep up. It's like planning your weekly grocery budget assuming milk costs $3 per gallon, only to find it's $3.50 when you arrive at the store and $3.25 by the time you reach the cash register.

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With trade dynamics, AI developments and policy shifts constantly changing the perceived value of investments, the speed of change has become the real problem.

The challenge for advisers lies in recognizing that this uncertainty stems from more than just change itself. Investors are nervous because they don't comfortably understand what something is worth or trust that its worth will remain consistent.

This drives a "take the money and run" mentality, where clients prefer the certainty of today's value over tomorrow's uncertainty.

What clients truly need is an informed perspective and a plan that already accounts for future uncertainty.

About Adviser Intel

The author of this article is a participant in Kiplinger's Adviser Intel program, a curated network of trusted financial professionals who share expert insights on wealth building and preservation. Contributors, including fiduciary financial planners, wealth managers, CEOs and attorneys, provide actionable advice about retirement planning, estate planning, tax strategies and more. Experts are invited to contribute and do not pay to be included, so you can trust their advice is honest and valuable.

From predictions to wisdom

In my view, the adviser's role is evolving away from forecasting toward being a steady, informed guide through complex times. This requires advisers to understand macro forces shaping the environment and explain to clients how their existing plans already account for these external forces.

Wisdom comes from helping clients see that their adviser is informed and has thoughtfully prepared for uncertainty, rather than reacting to every headline.

At AE Wealth Management, we've developed the PAGE framework to organize the major forces shaping today's environment and help advisers lead more effective client conversations. The framework represents four structural forces influencing markets, businesses and household finances:

P – policy divergence

A – AI vs economic impact

G – global fragmentation

E – economic disparity

These forces create ongoing uncertainty, but understanding them allows advisers to help position clients for whatever develops next.

Policy divergence: When rules change rapidly

Governments worldwide are moving in different directions on trade, regulation, interest rates and fiscal policy. Markets constantly reprice expectations based on new policy developments, creating sudden volatility when those expectations shift.

This divergence impacts inflation, interest rates, business growth and investment risk. Rather than reacting to every policy headline, well-constructed financial plans account for policy uncertainty over time through appropriate diversification and risk management.

Advisers who understand policy dynamics can help clients see beyond the headlines to focus on long-term positioning. The goal involves building portfolios resilient enough to handle various policy outcomes rather than betting on specific directions.

AI vs economic impact: Innovation meets reality

Massive excitement surrounds AI's growth potential, but real-world factors will influence actual outcomes.

For example, energy represents a key factor in AI's ability to generate revenues necessary to justify current stock prices. And questions about power supply for data centers and infrastructure constraints will affect how quickly AI can deliver on its promises.

Markets often price in big expectations, while reality unfolds more slowly or differently than anticipated. Rather than trying to predict whether we have enough power supply for all the AI projects companies have signed up for, advisers can help clients understand how innovation fits into long-term strategies with appropriate risk management.

The key lies in recognizing that transformative technologies often take longer to deliver promised benefits than initial enthusiasm suggests. Depending on how energy and infrastructure challenges work out over the next 12 to 18 months, markets could respond positively or negatively.

Patient capital positioned for long-term trends tends to outperform reactive approaches based on short-term excitement.

Global fragmentation: A more divided world

Countries are becoming increasingly protectionist as trade relationships shift and geopolitical tensions affect supply chains and markets. This fragmentation impacts corporate profits, inflation and market stability while increasing uncertainty around global growth.

Traditional assumptions about global integration and free trade no longer hold as reliably as they once did. Supply chains are reorganizing around security considerations rather than pure efficiency, creating new cost structures and investment opportunities.

Well-constructed portfolios anticipate these global shifts through geographic diversification and exposure to companies positioned for a more fragmented world rather than chasing short-term reactions to geopolitical events.

Economic disparity: The K-shaped economy

Different segments of the economy grow at vastly different rates, with some industries and households thriving while others struggle. This can create uneven market performance and influences consumer behavior, employment patterns and investment returns.

Traditional models assuming smooth, uniform growth across the economy no longer reflect reality. Financial plans must account for this uneven landscape rather than expecting consistent outcomes across all sectors and demographics.

Successful advisers help clients position for this disparity through diversified approaches that can benefit from growth areas while avoiding overexposure to struggling sectors. The focus shifts to building resilience across various economic scenarios.

Interested in more information for financial professionals? Sign up for Kiplinger's twice-monthly free newsletter, Adviser Angle.

Building trust through informed conversations

There are two ways to drive revenue for financial advisers: 1) continue to retain the clients you have today to serve them longer and 2) encourage new families to do business with you. The PAGE framework helps advisers work towards accomplishing both objectives:

Stronger client retention can develop when advisers who understand these four macro conversations can have informed discussions with current clients. They retain families for longer and potentially capture higher wallet share over time because they're seen as well-informed and authoritative advisers.

Clients don't necessarily need advisers to provide directional market calls; they want advisers who can articulate that their plan already accounts for uncertainty and demonstrate that preparation within their plan.

Smarter prospect conversations can emerge when advisers can ask thoughtful questions, such as "How is your investment and financial plan prepared to deal with these four macro themes this year?"

The goal is for prospects to respond with statements like "I'm not sure" or "I don't know."

This opens the door for meaningful dialogue about comprehensive financial planning and provides a natural wedge for advisers to explain their approach.

Confidence over constant change

Change will continue accelerating, and uncertainty remains part of the investment environment rather than something to eliminate. Advisers who understand and communicate macro forces become indispensable partners for families navigating an increasingly complex world.

PAGE represents more than just a framework for understanding current conditions. It helps provide a foundation for building confidence through knowledge rather than predictions.

Clients can gain clarity not from knowing what will happen next, but from understanding how their plans are designed to handle whatever develops.

In our faster, more complex world, the ability to provide this perspective becomes the ultimate differentiator for successful advisory practices.

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AE Wealth Management, LLC (AEWM) is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) located in Topeka, Kansas. Registration does not denote any level of skill or qualification. Information regarding the RIA offering the investment advisory services can be found on brokercheck.finra.org. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. The personal opinions expressed by Ben Sullivan are his alone and may not be those of AE Wealth Management or the firm providing this report to you. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual's situation. None of the information contained herein shall constitute an offer to sell or solicit any offer to buy a security or insurance product. CFP Board owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. 5166105 – 2/26

Disclaimer

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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Ben Sullivan, CFA®, CFP®Social Links NavigationChief Investment Officer, AE Wealth Management

Ben joined AE Wealth Management in early 2017 after working for a local accounting firm. He served advisers on the trade desk and as a director of wealth before becoming vice president of wealth management in 2022. Ben has passed the Series 7, 24, 66 and is a CFA® charterholder and a CFP® professional. Ben graduated from York College, where he played soccer. He spends his free time with his wife, Maggie, and their son, Declan.