PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 41

2018 DC SURVEY:
PLAN BENCHMARKING
Plan sponsors are increasingly interested
in financial wellness and confident that
employees will meet retirement goals
O
ur most loyal readers will know that every year since 1996, PLANSPONSOR has
conducted an extensive industry survey among defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors
across the country. The survey has become a definitive source by which plan sponsors
gauge what their peers are doing with their plans. Over the course of 23 years, we have
measured and tracked such areas as plan participation and eligibility, design features, fees, oversight
and providers. Many of these elements have evolved, their significance growing or lessening over
time; sometimes changes occur from one year to the next as new initiatives are tested.
The findings of the 2018 PLANSPONSOR Defined Contribution (DC) Survey: Plan Benchmarking
show improved use of plan design. Roth provisions are on the rise, effective match levels are similar
to what they have been, fees seem to be trending downward slowly, automatic features are somewhat
more prevalent, and overall participation rates are ticking up. Whether alone, or through partnership
with recordkeeping plan providers and/or advisers and consultants, plan sponsors are working to make
sure their employees take advantage of all of the features a defined contribution plan has to offer, and
it appears those employees are benefitting.
Most years, the survey results indicate few surprises, but this year a couple of data points are
worth noting.
For the past several surveys, toward the end of the exhaustive questionnaire, we have asked plan
sponsors whether their organization has a " responsibility to improve employee financial wellness. "
Typically, about 50% of respondents have had a neutral response to this statement, another 25%
have agreed and 25% disagreed. This year, there was a noticeable shift-just 2% of plan sponsors
Art by Chris Buzelli
PLANSPONSOR.com October-November 2018 41
RISING
ABOVE

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PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018

Looking Closer
2018 DC Survey: Plan Benchmarking
Operational Loan Failures
Looking Beyond Performance
Staying Ahead of Inflation
Private Market Investing
Income Disruptions
Easy Access
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - Easy Access
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - FC1
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - FC2
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - C2
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 1
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 2
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 3
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 4
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 5
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 6
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 7
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 8
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 9
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 10
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 11
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PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 20
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 21
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 22
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PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 25
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 26
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PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 28
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 29
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 30
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 31
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 32
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 33
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - Looking Closer
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 35
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 36
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 37
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 38
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 39
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 2018 DC Survey: Plan Benchmarking
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 41
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 42
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 43
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 44
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 45
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 46
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 47
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 48
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 49
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 50
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 51
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 52
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 53
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - Operational Loan Failures
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 55
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 56
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 57
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - Looking Beyond Performance
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 59
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 60
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 61
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - Staying Ahead of Inflation
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 63
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - Private Market Investing
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 65
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - Income Disruptions
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 67
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 68
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 69
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 70
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 71
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - 72
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - C3
PLANSPONSOR - October/November 2018 - C4
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/march_april_2024
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/january_february_2024
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/november_december_2023
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/september_october_2023
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/july_august_2023
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/may_june_2023
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/march_april_2023
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/december_2022_february_2023
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/october_november_2022
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/august_september_2022
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/june_july_2022
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/excellenceawards_2022
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/april_may_2022
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/february_march_2022
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/december_2021_january_2022
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/october_november_2021
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/august_september_2021
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/june_july_2021
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/april-may_2021
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/february-march_2021
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/december-january_2021
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/october-november_2020
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/august-september_2020
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/june-july_2020
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/april-may_2020
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/february-march_2020
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/december-january_2020
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/october-november_2019
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/august-september_2019
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/june-july_2019
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/april-may_2019
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/february-march_2019
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/december_2018-january_2019
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/october-november_2018
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/august-september_2018
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/june-july_2018
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/april-may_2018
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/february-march_2018
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/december_2017-january_2018
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/november_december_2017
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/october_2017
https://www.plansponsordigital.com/plansponsor/september_2017
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