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 Standard

Qualified plan adviser votes141
Overall perception among plan advisers
Very favorable10.5%
Somewhat favorable28.2%
Not favorable20.2%
No opinion37.1%
Plan adviser experience with provider
Worked with many times14.9%
Worked with a few times24.8%
Worked with once15.7%
Never worked with44.6%
Top 10 service categories
1  Plan sponsor support3 votes
1  Overall service to small plans3 votes
1  Overall service to micro plans3 votes
1  Adviser support post-sale3 votes
1  Value-added adviser services3 votes
6  Wholesalers2 votes
6  Value for price2 votes
8  Plan sponsor education materials1 vote
8  Supporting materials1 vote
8  Fee structure for advisers1 vote