Findings from an Investment Company Institute (ICI) and BrightScope study determined that many nonprofits sponsoring 403(b) plans seek to engage participants and promote retirement saving.
Per officials, a 403(b) plan is an employer-sponsored defined contribution (DC) retirement plan enabling employees of public schools and universities, nonprofit employers, and church organizations to make tax-deferred contributions from their salaries to the plan.
ICI and BrightScope indicated the BrightScope/ICI Defined Contribution Plan Profile: A Close Look at ERISA 403(b) Plans analyzed 403(b) plans in the Department of Labor 2019 Form 5500 Research File and over 6,200 audited 403(b) plans in ISS Market Intelligence’s BrightScope Defined Contribution Plan Database.
“ERISA 403(b) plan sponsors typically offer employer contributions to encourage employees to participate in their plans,” ICI Senior Director of Retirement and Investor Research Sarah Holden said. “These employer contributions often are based on participants’ own contributions, to promote saving by employees.”
According to study findings, nearly all plans offered domestic equity, international equity, and domestic bond funds in their core investment offerings; 87 percent of large ERISA 403(b) plans offered target date funds, while 82 percent offered fixed annuities, and more than half offered money funds; and mutual funds were the most common investment vehicle in large ERISA 403(b) plans, with 64 percent of large ERISA 403(b) plan assets in 2019.
BrightScope at ISS Market Intelligence Managing Director Brooks Herman said 403(b) plans offer a wide array of investments to promote retirement savings across a range of risk profiles, active and index investing, and domestic and international options.
“This analysis sheds light not only on the range of diversified, professionally managed options available to 403(b) plan participants but also the cost-effectiveness of the investments,” Herman said.