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

The Newport Group

Qualified plan adviser votes146
Overall perception among plan advisers
Very favorable20.9%
Somewhat favorable26.4%
Not favorable14.7%
No opinion35.7%
Plan adviser experience with provider
Worked with many times17.1%
Worked with a few times32.5%
Worked with once13.8%
Never worked with36.6%
Top 10 service categories
1  Fee structure for advisers7 votes
2  Plan sponsor support6 votes
3  Overall service to micro plans5 votes
3  Overall service to small plans5 votes
3  Plan participant support5 votes
3  Value for price5 votes
7  Plan sponsor education materials4 votes
7  Adviser sales/marketing support4 votes
7  Value-added adviser services4 votes
7  Overall service to midsize plans4 votes