2020
PLANADVISER Micro Plan Survey

Micro plans have much to gain from adviser help with fiduciary matters

Industry Data

Industry Data

Company Match

A Matching Contribution Offered?

Matching Contribution Offered
All Plans <$1MM $1MM–$5MM
Yes 75% 67% 71%
No 24% 30% 28%
Unsure/Don’t know 1% 3% 2%

A ‘True-Up’11 Provision for Matching Contributions

‘True-Up’ Provision for Matching Contributions
All Plans <$1MM $1MM–$5MM
Yes 40% 19% 23%
No 42% 40% 43%
Unsure/Don’t know 18% 41% 34%
11A true-up match may be used to restore matching contributions “lost” when an employee reaches the annual contribution limit prior to year-end.
Participants Maximizing Match
All Plans <$1MM $1MM–$5MM
All or nearly all participants (>90%) 26% 36% 30%
Vast majority (>75% – 90%) 27% 19% 22%
More than average (>50% – 75%) 21% 10% 16%
Less than average (>25% – 50%) 12% 11% 13%
A small minority (10% – 25%) 5% 9% 5%
Very few (<10%) 4% 7% 6%
Unsure/Don’t know 6% 8% 7%

Frequency of Matching Contributions

Frequency of Matching Contributions
All Plans <$1MM $1MM–$5MM
Annually 14% 14% 15%
Quarterly 2% 1% 1%
Monthly – Non-pay-period 2% 6% 2%
Twice monthly – Non-pay-period 1% 2% 1%
Biweekly – Non-pay-period 2% 5% 2%
Per pay period 79% 73% 79%
Other 1% 0% 1%

Approximate Maximum Match

Approximate Maximum Match
All Plans <$1MM $1MM–$5MM
>100% of first 6% of salary 5% 6% 4%
100% of first 6% of salary 15% 14% 13%
51% – 99% of first 6% of salary 35% 34% 37%
50% of first 6% of salary 22% 19% 22%
>50% of first 6% of salary 18% 20% 18%
Other 6% 9% 6%

How Long Before Participants Are 100% Vested?

When Participants Are 100% Vested
All Plans <$1MM $1MM–$5MM
Immediately on enrollment 37% 42% 35%
1 year or less 6% 10% 6%
2 years 6% 3% 4%
3 years 13% 6% 10%
4 years 4% 4% 3%
5 years 17% 12% 20%
6 or more years 17% 15% 22%
Unsure/Don't know 1% 8% 2%