Individual retirement account assets reached an estimated $5.3trillion in the first quarter of 2012, a nearly 9 percent rise overthe $4.8 trillion in estimated assets for 2011, according to a newreport.

Cerulli Associates, Boston, released this finding in theNovember edition of “Evolution of the Retirement Investor 2012:Understanding 401(k) Participant Dynamics and Trends in Rolloverand Retirement Income,” a Cerulli Special Quantitative Update. Thereport includes an analysis of defined contribution planparticipants, individual retirement account (IRA) assets and therollover decision, and the retirement income landscape.

Rollover contributions totaled $307 billion in 2011. Nearlytwo-thirds of the assets (65.4 percent or $207 billion) were rolledover through an advisor, the average balance of a rollover totaling$115,000. Of the $201 billion, 83 percent ($167 billion) washandled by an existing advisor. The balance ($34 billion or 17percent) went through a new advisor, the research shows.