Investment Instruments

Investors with a 401(k) and an IRA save almost three times as much as investors with a single plan.

A round-up of the weeks employee benefits news, reports and controversy from around the web

Fidelity Investments conducted an analysis of its investors that have both Individual Retirement Accounts and 401(k) plans. It found that the average combined balance in both accounts was $212,600.

Strong increases in sales of annuities in the earlier parts of 2011 slowed over the course of the year, but still yielded an 8 percent growth over the previous year, according to data released Wednesday by LIMRA.

Nearly a quarter of 401(k) participants invest solely in target-date fundsa six-fold increase over the past five years, according to new Vanguard research.

Target-date funds have become popular additions to 401(k) retirement plans because they offer convenience, portfolio choices based on a participants retirement age and a commitment device for future age-based equity balancing.