RESEARCH |

2013
PLANADVISER Retirement Plan Adviser Survey

Advisers reveal their favorite retirement plan partners

Reported by PLANADVISER
Survey Data
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Survey Data

Top-Rated Defined Contribution (DC) Providers*

Best overall service, micro plans (319 votes)
1 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services15.4%
2 Great-West Retirement Services12.2%
3 Ascensus10.0%
3 Principal Financial Group10.0%
5 American Funds Distributors8.2%
6 Transamerica Retirement Solutions6.0%
7 CPI Qualified Plan Consultants Inc.4.7%
8 ADP Retirement Services3.8%
8 Fidelity Investments3.8%
10 ING U.S. Retirement, Nationwide Financial3.4%
Best overall service, small plans (307 votes)
1 Fidelity Investments14.0%
2 Great-West Retirement Services12.1%
3 MassMutual Financial Group6.5%
4 Principal Financial Group6.2%
5 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services5.5%
6 Transamerica Retirement Solutions4.9%
7 ING U.S. Retirement4.2%
8 The Newport Group3.9%
9 American Funds Distributors3.6%
9 Ascensus3.6%
Best overall service, mid-size plans (209 votes)
1 Fidelity Investments21.1%
2 Prudential Retirement9.1%
3 Putnam Investments8.1%
4 MassMutual Financial Group6.7%
5 Vanguard5.3%
6 Charles Schwab4.8%
6 Great-West Retirement Services4.8%
6 Principal Financial Group4.8%
9 J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services3.8%
9 Wells Fargo & Co.3.8%
Best overall service, large plans (160 votes)
1 Fidelity Investments21.9%
2 J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services8.8%
2 Vanguard8.8%
4 Prudential Retirement6.3%
4 Putnam Investments6.3%
6 Great-West Retirement Services5.6%
7 Bank of America Merrill Lynch4.4%
7 Wells Fargo & Co.4.4%
9 Charles Schwab3.8%
9 MassMutual Financial Group3.8%
9 Principal Financial Group3.8%
Adviser sales/marketing support (252 votes)
1 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services15.5%
2 Fidelity Investments8.7%
2 Principal Financial Group8.7%
4 American Funds Distributors7.9%
4 MassMutual Financial Group7.9%
6 Great-West Retirement Services6.3%
7 ING U.S. Retirement5.6%
8 Transamerica Retirement Solutions4.8%
9 J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services4.0%
9 Nationwide Financial4.0%
Adviser support post-sale (251 votes)
1 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services12.4%
2 Great-West Retirement Services9.6%
3 Principal Financial Group9.2%
4 Fidelity Investments7.6%
5 MassMutual Financial Group6.4%
6 ING U.S. Retirement5.6%
6 Transamerica Retirement Solutions5.6%
8 American Funds Distributors5.2%
9 Prudential Retirement3.6%
9 Putnam Investments3.6%
Fee structure for advisers (209 votes)
1 Great-West Retirement Services17.2%
2 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services10.0%
3 American Funds Distributors6.7%
4 Nationwide Financial5.3%
4 Vanguard5.3%
6 Ascensus4.8%
6 CPI Qualified Plan Consultants Inc.4.8%
6 ING U.S. Retirement4.8%
9 Principal Financial Group4.3%
10 Fidelity Investments3.8%
10 MassMutual Financial Group3.8%
Participant education materials (256 votes)
1 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services15.6%
2 Fidelity Investments12.9%
3 MassMutual Financial Group9.8%
4 Principal Financial Group9.0%
5 American Funds Distributors7.0%
6 Putnam Investments5.9%
7 Great-West Retirement Services4.7%
8 ING U.S. Retirement3.1%
8 Nationwide Financial3.1%
8 Prudential Retirement3.1%
Plan sponsor education materials (234 votes)
1 Fidelity Investments15.0%
2 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services12.8%
3 Great-West Retirement Services8.1%
3 Principal Financial Group8.1%
5 MassMutual Financial Group6.8%
6 American Funds Distributors5.1%
7 J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services4.3%
8 Prudential Retirement3.8%
9 ING U.S. Retirement3.4%
9 Putnam Investments3.4%
Plan sponsor support (235 votes)
1 Principal Financial Group10.6%
2 Fidelity Investments9.8%
3 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services8.9%
4 Great-West Retirement Services8.1%
5 MassMutual Financial Group5.5%
6 ING U.S. Retirement4.7%
6 Transamerica Retirement Solutions4.7%
8 American Funds Distributors4.3%
8 Prudential Retirement4.3%
10 Putnam Investments3.8%
Supporting materials (217 votes)
1 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services14.3%
2 Fidelity Investments13.8%
3 MassMutual Financial Group9.2%
4 Principal Financial Group7.8%
5 American Funds Distributors6.9%
5 Great-West Retirement Services6.9%
7 Putnam Investments4.6%
8 ING U.S. Retirement3.7%
8 Prudential Retirement3.7%
8 Transamerica Retirement Solutions3.7%
Plan participant support (244 votes)
1 Fidelity Investments14.3%
2 MassMutual Financial Group10.7%
3 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services10.2%
4 Principal Financial Group9.8%
5 Great-West Retirement Services7.4%
5 Putnam Investments7.4%
7 American Funds Distributors4.9%
8 ING U.S. Retirement3.7%
9 Charles Schwab2.5%
9 Nationwide Financial2.5%
9 Transamerica Retirement Solutions; Vanguard2.5%
Reputation (236 votes)
1 Fidelity Investments31.4%
2 Vanguard7.6%
3 American Funds Distributors6.8%
4 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services6.4%
4 Principal Financial Group6.4%
6 Great-West Retirement Services5.5%
7 MassMutual Financial Group3.8%
8 Transamerica Retirement Solutions3.0%
9 Bank of America Merrill Lynch2.5%
9 ING U.S. Retirement2.5%
9 Nationwide Financial2.5%
Best wholesalers (232 votes)
1 Great-West Retirement Services13.8%
2 MassMutual Financial Group8.6%
2 Principal Financial Group8.6%
4 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services7.3%
5 American Funds Distributors6.9%
6 Fidelity Investments6.5%
6 ING U.S. Retirement6.5%
8 Putnam Investments4.7%
9 Nationwide Financial3.9%
9 OneAmerica3.9%
Value-added adviser services (206 votes)
1 Principal Financial Group9.7%
2 MassMutual Financial Group9.2%
3 Great-West Retirement Services8.3%
4 Fidelity Investments6.3%
4 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services6.3%
6 J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services5.8%
7 ING U.S. Retirement5.3%
7 Putnam Investments5.3%
9 American Funds Distributors4.9%
10 Nationwide Financial4.4%
Best value for price (230 votes)
1 Great-West Retirement Services25.2%
2 Vanguard7.8%
3 American Funds Distributors7.4%
4 Ascensus6.1%
5 ING U.S. Retirement5.2%
6 Fidelity Investments4.8%
7 MassMutual Financial Group4.3%
8 Putnam Investments3.9%
9 John Hancock Retirement Plan Services3.5%
9 Principal Financial Group3.5%

*404 qualified advisers were asked to select the defined contribution provider with the best service in each of the above categories (see Methodology).