Retirement income providers who clearly understand retirement income issues, demonstrate their leadership position and help advisors manage and invest for income will have a leg up on the competition, according to a national study of registered financial advisors announced Monday by Cogent Research.

Cogent surveyed some 400 advisors, each with at least $25 million under management, a minimum of 25% of assets comprising retirement income planning services and at least five years' tenure as a financial advisor about their use and interest in retirement income products.

Researchers asked advisors to name companies that offered retirement income products, Meredith Lloyd Rice, senior project director and co-author of the report, told AdvisorOne in a telephone interview. They then asked how likely advisors were to consider investing client assets with those providers.