2021
PLANADVISER DCIO Survey

Methodology

Methodology

The market volatility and economic uncertainty of 2020 created some anxiety among individual investors, but results from the 2021 PLANADVISER Defined Contribution Investment Only (DCIO) Survey showed the resiliency of the defined contribution (DC) market to otherwise disruptive events. Overall, total DCIO assets among the 37 responding organizations increased by 15%, but that number trails the 18% in total U.S. assets reported by those same providers. In terms of organizational performance, only three of 37 responding asset managers saw DCIO assets decline last year, while for almost half—18, or 46%—they increased by 15% or more. Consistent with recent industry trends, the DCIO segment saw a record amount of assets invested in passive/blend strategies and a consolidation of business—the median number of recordkeeper selling agreements fell to 47, down from 50 such agreements last year. —PA