More investors are asking for guidance from advisors, resulting in more overall satisfaction, according to a survey released July 24 by J.D. Power and Associates, a research firm based in Westlake Village, Calif. In the survey, conducted in May, 59 percent of the respondents said they sought advice from a financial advisor, up from 53 percent a year earlier. Those who used a financial advisor reported more satisfaction with investment results than those who were self-directed.

Among the 16 full-service investment firms listed in the survey, Edward Jones ranked highest in satisfaction for the third consecutive year, followed by A.G. Edwards & Sons and Vanguard. Merrill Lynch and Wachovia Securities rounded out the top five.

Among affluent investors (with at least $500,000 in liquid assets) a full 25 percent reported low satisfaction with their advisors. However, those same respondents still invested 90 percent of their assets with their primary investment firm, and only 5 percent said they planned to change firms in the coming year.

The study of 5,000 investors measured overall satisfaction with full-service investment firms. The six factors considered and their weighting in the poll were: financial advisor/broker, 24 percent; account setup/offerings, 20 percent; performance, 19 percent; commissions/fees, 15 percent; statements, 12 percent; and convenience, 11 percent.