Assets in 529 plan accounts reached an all-time high of $328 billion in December before shrinking to $293 billion as of March as a result of the market downturn during the first quarter, according to research from Morningstar Inc.
Assets in the college savings accounts totaled nearly $286 billion at the end of 2018.
Plans sold directly to college savers continued to gain market share, Morningstar said, growing at more than double the rate of plans sold exclusively through financial advisers over the past three years.
Fees fell again in 2019, with the average direct-sold age-based portfolio's expense ratio declining to 0.35% in 2019 from 0.39% in 2018, and the expense ratio of the average adviser-sold age-based portfolio down 0.04 percentage points to 0.89% as of March 2020.
New joint research by T. Rowe Price, MIT, and Stanford University finds more diverse asset allocations among older participants.
With its asset pipeline bursting past $13 billion, Farther is looking to build more momentum with three new managing directors.
A Department of Labor proposal to scrap a regulatory provision under ERISA could create uncertainty for fiduciaries, the trade association argues.
"We continue to feel confident about our ability to capture 90%," LPL CEO Rich Steinmeier told analysts during the firm's 2nd quarter earnings call.
It's the mega-RIA firm's third $1B+ acquisition in just three months.
Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.
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.