Edelman Financial Engines Data Breach

On or around January 7, 2026, Edelman Financial Engines (EFE) experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain personal information. Upon discovering the incident, EFE promptly detected and terminated the unauthorized access and launched an investigation with the assistance of external cybersecurity experts.

Following the investigation, EFE determined that an unauthorized third party accessed some personal information maintained within its systems. After completing a review of the impacted data, EFE determined that personal information belonging to certain individuals was involved in the incident.

EFE reports that the incident did not involve access to any Edelman Financial Engines account(s).

After completing its investigation, EFE began mailing formal notification letters to affected individuals and started offering complimentary credit and identity monitoring services at no cost for 24 months through Kroll.

Edelman Financial Engines is a financial planning and investment advisory firm offering personalized financial planning and investment management for retail clients and workplace retirement plans (like 401(k)s) by blending technology with human advisors to provide services for wealth management, retirement, tax, and estate planning.

The impacted data may relate to individuals whose personal and financial planning information was stored within EFE’s systems.

Following the incident, EFE implemented additional technical safeguards and security measures to strengthen its systems and reduce the risk of future unauthorized access.

If you received a Data Breach notification letter from Edelman Financial Engines, it confirms that your personal information may have been accessed by an unauthorized party during this incident.

What information is involved in the Edelman Financial Engines Data Breach?

Compromised information may include:

Your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) includes details that can be used to identify you. Organizations that collect and store this information are legally required to safeguard it. When businesses fail to adequately protect sensitive data, they may face legal liability and financial penalties.

A specific subset of PII is Protected Health Information (PHI), which includes medical and health insurance data. PHI is protected under both federal and state privacy laws, including HIPAA and related state statutes. When PHI is exposed in a data breach, it can be used in conjunction with other personal data to commit identity theft, medical fraud, and insurance fraud. 

Social Security numbers and financial information are particularly valuable to cybercriminals and can be used to commit identity theft, financial fraud, and other crimes.

When personal information is exposed in a data breach, it may be exploited months or even years after the incident to open fraudulent accounts, obtain loans, or commit other forms of financial misuse.

If your data has been exposed in a breach, one of the most effective steps you can take is to promptly enroll in the offered credit and identity monitoring services and continue monitoring your financial accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity.

Residents of California benefit from enhanced privacy protections under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which provides additional rights related to the collection, storage, and security of personal information. California residents may also have additional legal remedies when financial information is compromised.

If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH letter from Edelman Financial Engines, your personal and financial information may be at risk. This type of sensitive information can be used by cybercriminals to commit identity theft, financial fraud, and other unlawful activities.

Contact the Data Breach Lawyers at Emery | Reddy, PC for a Free Case Review today.