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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


ProviderAmerican Express Retirement Services
Minneapolis
(800) 437-0600
American United Life Insurance
Indianapolis
(317) 285-1877
Ameritas Life Insurance
Lincoln, NE
(800) 923-2732
Bank of America
Charlotte, NC
(704) 388-4674
Bank of New York
New York
(212) 635-7323

Type of service provided

Full service or investment onlyFull serviceFull service or recordkeeping onlyFull serviceFull service, investment only, or recordkeeping only
FULL SERVICE

Years offering full-service 401(k) plans

22

19

21

20

21

Number of full-service plans

341

6,923

398

1,578

634

Number of full-service plans in each market

Fewer than 100 employees

57

6,327

380

185

103

100-999 employees

122

585

17

1,086

381

1,000-4,999 employees

113

11

1

263

107

5,000 or more employees

49

0

0

44

43

Offerings for full-service customers

Full-service customers using daily valuation

100%

100%

96%

100%

100%

Full-service customers using voice response unit

100%

99%

12%

100%

100%

Full-service customers using prototype plan document

100% use custom document

80% (approx.)

83%

85% (approx.)

49.5%

Full-service customers using testing services

100%

100%

99%

100%

90.8%

Full-service customers using regulatory filing services

100%

80% (approx.)

99%

100%

91%

Full-service customers using recordkeeping services

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

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

100%

100%

<5%

100%

81%

Can sponsors choose number and frequency of fund changes?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Preferred business arrangement for companies with

Fewer than 100 employees

Internal

All plans

Internal

Recordkeeping alliance*

Recordkeeping alliance

100-999 employees

Internal

All plans

Internal

Recordkeeping alliance*

Recordkeeping alliance

1,000-4,999 employees

Internal

All plans

Internal

Recordkeeping alliance*

Recordkeeping alliance

5,000 or more employees

Internal

All plans

Internal

Recordkeeping alliance*

Recordkeeping alliance

Assets in full-service plans

Internally managed

$18.93 billion

$692 million

$112,683,271

$16.06 billion

$61.2 billion

Externally managed

$5.35 billion

$2.8 billion

$158,707,090

$1.78 billion

$60.3 billion

Total

$24.28 billion

$3.492 billion

$271,390,361

$17.84 billion

$121,5 billion

Number of participants in full-service plans

1,071,392

308,300

14,190

1,068,000

835,000

Number of full-service plans

At year-end 2002

341

6,923

398

1,578

634

At year-end 2001

385

6,763

364

1,503

589

At year-end 2000

417

6,772

312

1,409

552

Converted in 2002

22

241

7

94

45

Number of funds available to full-service plans

Internally managed

89

5

2

32

25

Externally managed

Unlimited

51

38

67

2,100

Self-directed brokerage available to full-service plans?

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Participation/allocation/deferral information

Average asset-allocation rates

Stable value 17%, fixed income 15%, equity 57%, self-dir. 1%, co. stock 10%

Stable value 25%, fixed income 5%, equity 60%, other 10%

Stable value 50.2%, fixed income 8%, equity 41.8%

Stable value (incl. MM) 25%, fixed income 5%, equity 50%, self-dir. 5%, co. stock 5%, other 10%

Stable value 18%, fixed income 10%, equity 60%, self-dir. <1%, co. stock 10%, loans 2%

Average participation rate

NA

50% median

NA

70%

87.2%

Average deferral rate

NA

NA

NA

6%

6.05%

Geographic coverage

All 50 states, DC

49 states, DC

48 states (except NY, OR), DC

All 50 states, DC

All 50 states, DC

Web site capabilities

Online statements

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Account changes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Tools and calculators

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Sponsor site

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Services available to full-service plans

Custom plan design

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

1:1 enrollment

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Online enrollment

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Automatic enrollment

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Education software

Yes

Yes

No

Yes, via Internet

Yes

Education videos

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Seminars

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

In-person classes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Newsletters

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

INVESTMENT ONLY
ProviderAmerican Express Retirement Services
Minneapolis
(800) 437-0600
American United Life Insurance
Indianapolis
(317) 285-1877
Ameritas Life Insurance
Lincoln, NE
(800) 923-2732
Bank of America
Charlotte, NC
(704) 388-4674
Bank of New York
New York
(212) 635-7323

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

22

21

Number of investment-only plans

65

155

Percentage of investment-only assets subadvised externally

<1%

5%

Target markets for investment-only services

Minimum asset size

$1 million

$5 million

Average plan asset size

NA

$196,7 million

Investment-only assets Internally managed

$8.03 billion

$28.975 billion

Externally managed

$3 million

$1.525 billion

Total

$8.033 billion

$30.5 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

Yes

Classes of securities managed for 401(k) plans

A, Y, CF, E

A, T, adviser, trust, I

Investment styles offered

All nine style boxes

All

Primary investment style

Small, mid, large cap equity; stable value; global fund; high-yield bond

Index, asset allocation

Frequency of market commentary

Monthly

Quarterly

Frequency of investment-results discussions

Quarterly

Monthly

RECORDKEEPING ONLY
ProviderAmerican Express Retirement Services
Minneapolis
(800) 437-0600
American United Life Insurance
Indianapolis
(317) 285-1877
Ameritas Life Insurance
Lincoln, NE
(800) 923-2732
Bank of America
Charlotte, NC
(704) 388-4674
Bank of New York
New York
(212) 635-7323

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

21

21

Number of recordkeeping-only plans

27

634

Number of recordkeeping-only plans in each market

Fewer than 100 employees

27

103

100-999 employees

0

381

1,000-4,999 employees

0

107

5,000 or more employees

0

43

Offerings for recordkeeping-only customers

Recordkeeping-only customers using daily valuation

100%

100%

Recordkeeping-only customers using voice response unit

4%

100%

Can sponsors choose number and frequency of fund changes?

Yes

Yes

Preferred market for recordkeeping-only services

Fewer than 100 employees

Yes

No

100-999 employees

Yes

Yes

1,000-4,999 employees

Yes

Yes

5,000 or more employees

Yes

Yes

Number of participants in recordkeeping-only plans

459

835,000

Number of recordkeeping-only plans

At year-end 2002

27

634

At year-end 2001

17

589

At year-end 2000

11

552

Converted in 2002

0

45

Externally managed

0

634

Participation/allocation/deferral information

Self-directed brokerage available to recordkeeping-only plans?

No

Yes

Average participation rate in recordkeeping-only plans

NA

87.2%

Average deferral rate in recordkeeping-only plans

NA

6.05%

Geographic coverage

48 states, DC (except NY, OR)

All 50 states, DC

Web site capabilities

Online statements

Yes

Yes

Account changes

Yes

Yes

Tools and calculators

Yes

Yes

Sponsor site

Yes

Yes

Services available to recordkeeping-only plans

Custom plan design

Yes

Yes

1:1 enrollment

Yes

Yes

Online enrollment

No

Yes

Automatic enrollment

Yes

Yes

Education software

No

Yes

Education videos

No

Yes

Seminars

Yes

Yes

In-person classes

Yes

Yes

Newsletters

Yes

Yes


*Bank of America entered into an alliance with Diversified Investment Advisors; some answers provided by Bank of America, Diversified, or both.



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