Target-date funds continue to be 401(k) favorites

Target-date funds continue to be 401(k) favorites
Participants in their 20s have more than half their retirement plan assets in the funds, a study by ICI and EBRI shows.
MAY 09, 2022

Investing in target-date funds continues to be popular in 401(k) plans, especially among participants in their 20s, according to a study by the Investment Company Institute and the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Younger plan participants had allocated 54.1% of their 401(k) assets to TDFs at the end of 2019, the study found, compared to an allocation of 28.8% among participants in their 60s. And 31.3% of 401(k) assets in the database overall were invested in target-date funds at year-end 2019, up from 26.6% at the end of 2018.

The study also showed that more workers are investing in equities, and linked that to the use of target-date funds.

“As 401(k) plan participants have increased their investment in target-date funds, their overall share of assets in equities has grown,” Craig Copeland, EBRI director of wealth benefits research, said in a statement.

About two-thirds of participants in their 20s had more than 80% of their 401(k) plan accounts invested in equities at the end of 2019, up from less than half of participants in their 20s at the end of 2007. Overall, almost 95% of 401(k) participants had at least some funds invested in equities at year-end 2019.

Only 5% of plan assets were invested in company stock at the end of 2019, down from 19% in 1999.

Latest News

In an AI world, investors still look for the human touch
In an AI world, investors still look for the human touch

AI is no replacement for trusted financial advisors, but it can meaningfully enhance their capabilities as well as the systems they rely on.

This viral motivational speaker can also be your Prudential financial advisor
This viral motivational speaker can also be your Prudential financial advisor

Prudential's Jordan Toma is no "Finfluencer," but he is a registered financial advisor with four million social media followers and a message of overcoming personal struggles that's reached kids in 150 school across the US.

Fintech bytes: GReminders and Advisor CRM announce AI-related updates
Fintech bytes: GReminders and Advisor CRM announce AI-related updates

GReminders is deepening its integration partnership with a national wealth firm, while Advisor CRM touts a free new meeting tool for RIAs.

SEC charges barred ex-Merrill broker behind Bain Capital private equity fraud
SEC charges barred ex-Merrill broker behind Bain Capital private equity fraud

The Texas-based former advisor reportedly bilked clients out of millions of dollars, keeping them in the dark with doctored statements and a fake email domain.

Trump's tax bill passes senate in hard-fought victory for Republicans
Trump's tax bill passes senate in hard-fought victory for Republicans

The $3.3 trillion tax and spending cut package narrowly got through the upper house, with JD Vance casting the deciding vote to overrule three GOP holdouts.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.