Americans continue to seek financial guidance from parents, family, friends or co-workers rather than financial advisors, even though financial literacy remains an issue for most, according to a recent survey from the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC).

The single-question survey asked 1,001 respondents, “When you have a financial question, who do you personally turn to for trusted financial guidance?” Forty percent of them answered that it was from parents, family, friends or co-workers, while a third said they turned to financial professionals and 25% said they don't have anyone they trusted to ask for financial advice. The survey was conducted between September 23 and October 6.

The survey results closely mirror those from previous NFEC reports showing that most Americans do not rely on financial advisors for guidance. Last year, 1,251 respondents participated in the survey and roughly the same percentage (39.7%) said they got their financial guidance from sources other than financial professionals. A total of 35.9% said they used an advisor, and 24.4% said they had no one to talk to for financial advice.

It is clear from the survey that those in the younger generation are more likely to stay away from professional financial advice. The survey showed that 22.4% of those age 18 to 34 sought advice from financial professionals, 35% of those age 35 to 54, and 41.4% among respondents age 55 and over.

The council conducted a separate study looking at how knowledgeable people were about financial matters. It evaluated 10,508 people across the U.S. on their level of advanced financial capability. On average, the participants were able to answer slightly more than 57% of the eight financial questions correctly.

The results of the two surveys, the study noted, are an indication that many people, especially younger adults, lack access to trusted, qualified financial professionals.

“Clearly, people who are not yet financially prepared to invest in real estate, equities or insurance lack access to well-qualified professionals who could help them with those decisions,” said Vince Shorb, the council's CEO, in a statement. “Having access to solid guidance is essential at an early age, because the decisions people make while they're young adults will significantly affect their futures as they mature.”