Financial Wellness Think Tank™
The Financial Wellness Think Tank is Financial Finesse’s research division, founded to generate and publish unbiased data on the impact of financial coaching and employee financial wellness outcomes — and to hold the financial wellness industry to a measurable standard.
Drawing on aggregated, anonymized data from millions of employee interactions, the Think Tank has built one of the largest longitudinal datasets on workplace financial wellness in existence. Its research informs best practices across the HR, benefits, retirement, and financial services industries.
featured Report
Workplace Financial Wellness in America:
A Tale of Two Cohorts: What the Averages Are Missing (2026)
Each year, the Financial Wellness Think Tank publishes its annual Workplace Financial Wellness in America report — analyzing shifts in employee Financial Wellness Scores, financial stress levels, and economic conditions across the U.S. workforce.
The 2026 report found that beneath the aggregate numbers, two cohorts — Millennials and Gen Z — are moving in opposite directions, obscuring meaningful trends in the averages. The report also identified three program design approaches that consistently drove stronger gains in employee financial security.
Think Tank Director:
Greg Ward, CFP®
Greg Ward, CFP®, directs the Financial Wellness Think Tank, where he leads research on financial wellness program design, measurement, and outcomes.
Greg served as Vice Chair of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) Financial Wellbeing Research Center and created the first validated model for measuring the ROI of employer-sponsored financial wellness programs — his essay on the model was awarded first place by the Society of Actuaries (SOA).
His current research focuses on financial wellness trends across generations, persistent racial and socioeconomic disparities in financial well-being, and the impact of integrated AI and human coaching models. Greg is a frequent speaker at HR, benefits, and retirement industry events.
Financial Finesse has quantified the ROI of employer-sponsored financial coaching.
The Financial Wellness Think Tank developed and validated the financial wellness industry’s first ROI model — providing employers with a peer-reviewed methodology for measuring the business impact of financial coaching as an employee benefit. The model identifies measurable returns across three areas:
Annual estimated ROI per 1,000 employees:
Reducing employee financial stress
$213,981
Streamlining benefits administration
$174,500
Creating a culture of wellness
$305,143
Learn more about the Financial Wellness Think Tank’s award-winning ROI model
Research and publications
The Financial Wellness Think Tank research library includes more than 50 publications covering employee financial wellness outcomes, benefits utilization, retirement preparedness, financial stress, and program design best practices. Research draws on longitudinal data from millions of employee interactions, with select reports published in partnership with Fortune 500 clients and external bodies including the Society of Actuaries and the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).
2025 Workplace Financial Wellness in America: A Year in Review
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Financial Decisions for Retirees
Think Tank Research Best Practices
Workplace Financial Wellness in America: A Year in Review
Financial Wellness or Cash Flow Band-Aid?
2022 Workplace Financial Wellness in America: A Year in Review
Subscribe to Think Tank research updates
Financial Finesse publishes new Think Tank research throughout the year, including its annual Workplace Financial Wellness in America report and ongoing studies on financial wellness trends, program design, and employer ROI. Subscribe below to receive new publications as they are released.