Research

Plan participants have incurred substantially lower fees for holding mutual funds over the past two decades, according to new research from the Investment Company Institute.

Many common plan design formulas, including safe harbor designs, disproportionately benefit higher-income employees, which is why thoughtful plan design can improve outcomes, according to a new survey.

Workers are feeling more optimistic about their retirement prospects and more confident they can achieve their retirement goals, according to a new Charles Schwab study.

Many employees (67%) believe their employer has a responsibility to help with financial planning because "if that's where my nest egg is, that's where my financial planning should come from," according to a recent EBRI webinar.

The DOL's push to impose a new fiduciary rule, which continues to face lawsuits, could actually offer financial benefits overall for small employer 401(k) plans, says a new Employee Fiduciary study.

One key finding: 401(k) plan participants saved at historic rates in 2023, with the average participant deferral rate reaching a record-high 7.4%.