The data says yes — and the source of that difference may surprise you. The Vanguard Advisor Alpha study, one of the most frequently cited pieces of research on this question, found that working with a skilled advisor can add an average of approximately 3% in net annual returns compared to managing finances independently. Importantly, most of that added value doesn’t come from choosing better investments. It comes from behavioral coaching — helping clients stay the course during market volatility, avoid panic selling, and sidestep the kinds of costly financial mistakes that emotionally-driven or social media-influenced decision-making tends to invite. For a young adult with 30 or 40 years ahead of them, that kind of disciplined guidance, compounded over time, can represent a significant difference in financial outcomes.