2015
Retirement Plan Adviser Survey

Arguably, retirement plan advisers have a better—or at least
a more comparative—perspective than their plan sponsor clients about the
relative strength of products and services offered by investment and
recordkeeping providers. After all, advisers can—and usually do—work with many
of them concurrently. The 2015 Retirement Plan Adviser Survey, our eighth,
endeavors to gain insight from the adviser community about how providers and
funds are selected, and which are the favorites each year.

Providers

Providers

Lincoln Financial Group

Qualified plan adviser votes146
Overall perception among plan advisers
Very favorable13.2%
Somewhat favorable30.2%
Not favorable31.8%
No opinion24.8%
Plan adviser experience with provider
Worked with many times13.4%
Worked with a few times35.4%
Worked with once20.5%
Never worked with30.7%
Top 10 service categories
1  Plan participant support5 votes
1  Plan sponsor support5 votes
3  Overall service to micro plans3 votes
3  Adviser sales/marketing support3 votes
3  Wholesalers3 votes
3  Adviser support post-sale3 votes
3  Fee structure for advisers3 votes
3  Overall service to midsize plans3 votes
9  Plan sponsor education materials2 votes
9  Value-added adviser services2 votes