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TEST:
2026 PLANADVISER Adviser Value Survey

Reported by PLANADVISER
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Adviser Value Findings

Adviser Value Findings

Financial or Investment Advice Offered to Participants in the Employer's DC plan
Yes - one-on-one with financial adviser outside of the plan34.50%
Yes - third party independent of recordkeeper58.20%
Yes - proprietary services or recordkeeper tools40.00%
No - advice is not currently offered to participants27.60%
Other0.00%
DC Plan Feature Expected to Have Greatest Impact on Participant Outcomes
Holistic financial wellness tools23.10%
In-plan guaranteed income products or solutions11.50%
One-on-one financial planning advice with an adviser19.20%
Participant education46.20%
Rating of Overall Service Received From Adviser or Advisory Team
Excellent (consistently exceeds expectations)76.10%
Good (consistently meets expectations)18.20%
Satisfactory (usually meets expectations, sometimes does not)3.40%
Poor (consistently falls below expectations)2.30%
Adviser Fiduciary Status Served in Relation to Plan
3(38) investment manager (has discretion over investments)19.60%
3(21) investment adviser (provides advice about investments, but sponsor retains decision)72.20%
Not a fiduciary3.10%
Unsure5.20%
Adviser Services

Plan Administration Support
Currently offered68.70%
Not offered, wish was offered4.00%
Not offered, not interested27.30%

Retirement Income Option Education and Advice
Currently offered69.70%
Not offered, wish was offered10.10%
Not offered, not interested20.20%

Participant Support
Currently offered63.30%
Not offered, wish was offered10.20%
Not offered, not interested26.50%

Participant Education and Financial Wellness
Currently offered65.30%
Not offered, wish was offered8.20%
Not offered, not interested26.50%

Wealth Management and Individual Participant Investment Advisement
Currently offered54.60%
Not offered, wish was offered10.30%
Not offered, not interested35.10%
Most Recent Fee Renegotiation With Current Adviser
1 year ago30.30%
2 years ago16.20%
3 years ago12.10%
4 years ago5.10%
5 years ago12.10%
>5 years ago24.20%
Are Adviser Services Worth the Fees Paid?
Yes83.70%
No7.10%
Unsure9.20%
Most Recent Adviser RFP or Re-Evaluation*
1 year ago14.30%
2 years ago8.20%
3 years ago13.30%
4 years ago10.20%
5 years ago11.20%
>5 years ago42.90%
Does Having a Plan Adviser Provide Better Retirement Outcomes for Participants?
Yes98.00%
No0.00%
Unsure2.00%
Are You Concerned About Conflicts of Interest Affecting Adviser Services?
Yes10.10%
No86.90%
Unsure3.00%

Footnote:
*Numbers do not add up to 100% due to rounding errors