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Guide to 401(k) Providers
Before you decide on a full-service company, or on a provider of investment-only or recordkeeping-only services, consult our interactive guide.
Michael O'Loughlin, CFO Magazine


Browse the Provider Directory


ProviderStandard Insurance
Portland, OR
(877) 805-1127
State Street Global Advisors
Boston
(617) 664-4738
Strong Retirement Plan Services
Menomonee Falls, WI
(800) 368-1225
Sungard Employee Benefit Systems
Birmingham, AL
(800) EBS-OMNI
SunTrust/Trusco
Orlando
(866) 786-4015

Type of service provided

Full serviceInvestment onlyFull service or investment onlyRecordkeeping onlyFull service
FULL SERVICE

Years offering full-service 401(k) plans

20

11

23

Number of full-service plans

985

275

637 (daily), 2,005 (client)

Number of full-service plans in each market

Fewer than 100 employees

756

76

358

100-999 employees

216

130

261

1,000-4,999 employees

12

49

17

5,000 or more employees

1

20

1

Offerings for full-service customers

Full-service customers using daily valuation

100%

100%

100%

Full-service customers using voice response unit

100%

100%

100%

Full-service customers using prototype plan document

100%*

75%

40%

Full-service customers using testing services

100%

100%

100%

Full-service customers using regulatory filing services

100%

99%

99%

Full-service customers using recordkeeping services

100%

100%

100%

Full-service customers using education to comply with 404(c)

100%

NA

100%

Can sponsors choose number and frequency of fund changes?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Preferred business arrangement for companies with

Fewer than 100 employees

Internal Full-Service, TPA Alliance, Investment Only

Internal

$2M+ mkt value, $25K/participant

100-999 employees

Internal Full-Service, TPA Alliance, Investment Only

Internal

$2M+ mkt value, $25K/participant

1,000-4,999 employees

Internal Full-Service, TPA Alliance, Investment Only

Internal

$2M+ mkt value, $25K/participant

5,000 or more employees

Internal Full-Service, TPA Alliance, Investment Only

Internal

$2M+ mkt value, $25K/participant

Assets in full-service plans

Internally managed

$417,617,000

$2.58 billion

$2,284,883,319

Externally managed

$777,846,000

0

$806,454,668

Total

$1,195,463,000

$2.58 billion

$3,091,337,987

Number of participants in full-service plans

105,837

147,231

148,521

Number of full-service plans

At year-end 2002

985

275**

637***

At year-end 2001

892

284**

729

At year-end 2000

811

340

614

Converted in 2002

113

33

45

Number of funds available to full-service plans

Internally managed

1

50

25

Externally managed

52

Several thousand

50

Self-directed brokerage available to full-service plans?

Yes, through TPA

Yes

Yes

Participation/allocation/deferral information

Average asset-allocation rates

Stable value 35.1%, fixed income 5.9%, equity 59%, co. stock <1%

Stable value 21.27%, fixed income 10.35%, equity 57.5%, self-dir. 0.11%, co. stock 3.47%, other 7.3%

Stable value 11%, fixed income 12%, equity 69%, self-dir. 6%, co. stock 6%, other 20%

Average participation rate

83%

NA

68%

Average deferral rate

5.3%

NA

4.8%

Geographic coverage

49 states (except NY), DC

48 states, DC

All 50 states, DC

Web site capabilities

Online statements

No

Yes

Yes

Account changes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Tools and calculators

Yes

Yes

Yes

Sponsor site

Yes

Yes

Yes

Services available to full-service plans

Custom plan design

Yes

Yes

Yes

1:1 enrollment

No

Yes

Yes

Online enrollment

Yes

Yes

Yes

Automatic enrollment

Yes

Yes

Yes

Education software

Yes

Yes

Yes

Education videos

Yes

Yes

Yes

Seminars

Yes

Yes

Yes

In-person classes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Newsletters

Yes

Yes

Yes

INVESTMENT ONLY
ProviderStandard Insurance
Portland, OR
(877) 805-1127
State Street Global Advisors
Boston
(617) 664-4738
Strong Retirement Plan Services
Menomonee Falls, WI
(800) 368-1225
Sungard Employee Benefit Systems
Birmingham, AL
(800) EBS-OMNI
SunTrust/Trusco
Orlando
(866) 786-4015

Years offering investment-only services to 401(k) plans

20

15+

Number of investment-only plans

630

NA

Percentage of investment-only assets subadvised externally

1.6%

<5%

Target markets for investment-only services

Minimum asset size

No minimum

No minimum

Average plan asset size

$207,4 million

NA

Investment-only assets Internally managed

$105,3 billion

$2.9 billion

Externally managed

$1.7 billion

$100 million

Total

$107 billion

$3 billion

Web site capabilities

Investment results

Yes

Yes

Market commentary

Yes

Yes

Services available to investment-only plans

Will provider comply with investment-policy statement?

Yes

On case-by-case basis

Classes of securities managed for 401(k) plans

Alternative; asset allocation; cash; currency; US, global, int'l fixed income; US, int'l equity

Investor class (no-load), advisor class (12b-1), load-waived A class

Investment styles offered

Passive, enhanced, active quantitative, active fundamental, core, growth, value

All

Primary investment style

US passive equity

Many styles and asset classes managed

Frequency of market commentary

Quarterly

Quarterly

Frequency of investment-results discussions

As requested

As needed

RECORDKEEPING ONLY
ProviderStandard Insurance
Portland, OR
(877) 805-1127
State Street Global Advisors
Boston
(617) 664-4738
Strong Retirement Plan Services
Menomonee Falls, WI
(800) 368-1225
Sungard Employee Benefit Systems
Birmingham, AL
(800) EBS-OMNI
SunTrust/Trusco
Orlando
(866) 786-4015

Years offering recordkeeping-only services to 401(k) plans

22

Number of recordkeeping-only plans

153

Number of recordkeeping-only plans in each market

Fewer than 100 employees

120

100-999 employees

14

1,000-4,999 employees

8

5,000 or more employees

11

Offerings for recordkeeping-only customers

Recordkeeping-only customers using daily valuation

83%

Recordkeeping-only customers using voice response unit

90%

Can sponsors choose number and frequency of fund changes?

Yes

Preferred market for recordkeeping-only services

Fewer than 100 employees

No

100-999 employees

No

1,000-4,999 employees

No

5,000 or more employees

Yes

Number of participants in recordkeeping-only plans

651,129

Number of recordkeeping-only plans

At year-end 2002

188

At year-end 2001

170

At year-end 2000

35

Converted in 2002

15

Externally managed

0

Participation/allocation/deferral information

Self-directed brokerage available to recordkeeping-only plans?

Yes

Average participation rate in recordkeeping-only plans

83%

Average deferral rate in recordkeeping-only plans

6%

Geographic coverage

All 50 states, DC

Web site capabilities

Online statements

Yes

Account changes

Yes

Tools and calculators

Yes

Sponsor site

Yes

Services available to recordkeeping-only plans

Custom plan design

Yes

1:1 enrollment

Yes

Online enrollment

Yes

Automatic enrollment

Yes

Education software

Yes

Education videos

Yes

Seminars

Yes

In-person classes

Yes

Newsletters

Yes


*For greater flexibility, volume submitter documents prepared by Standard staff are used.
**71 plans migrated to a different platform in 2001 because their plan size was significantly smaller than current target market; additional small plans migrated in 2002.
***SunTrust migrated plans below $2 million to new brokerage product in 2002.



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