The Investment Company Institute pressed its case againstconventional wisdom Monday, releasing data showing thatemployer-sponsored retirement plans help more Americans today thanever before.

In 2013, it said, one-third of retirees received someretirement income from plan-sponsored assets, either their own or aspouse’s. In 1975, the rate was 21 percent, it said.

Moreover, median retiree income from private-sector plans wasabout $6,000 in 2013, compared to $4,900 in inflation-adjusted 1975dollars, it said.

Critics of the employer-sponsored defined contribution modelinclude politicians on both sides of the aisle and a number ofthink tanks. ICI’s research is meant to challenge the widelyheld presumption that Americans are less prepared for retirementsince the decline of defined benefit plans in favor of definedcontribution plans.

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Nick Thornton

Nick Thornton is a financial writer covering retirement and health care issues for BenefitsPRO and ALM Media. He greatly enjoys learning from the vast minds in the legal, academic, advisory and money management communities when covering the retirement space. He's also written on international marketing trends, financial institution risk management, defense and energy issues, the restaurant industry in New York City, surfing, cigars, rum, travel, and fishing. When not writing, he's pushing into some land or water.