Fourth edition

Since the first edition of this guidebook was published in May 2014, the defined contribution landscape in the U.S. has continued to evolve slowly.

• Defined contribution (DC) plan governance is under greater scrutiny than ever from regulators and litigators seeking class action.
• Investment committees are beginning to evaluate more innovative, customized qualified default investment alternatives (QDIAs) beyond traditional target date funds.
• Plan menus are becoming more consolidated and less focused on offering brand-name funds.
• There is an increased focus on keeping participants in the plan into and throughout retirement, intersecting with a need to help these participants generate income from their DC savings.
• The industry and plan sponsors are taking a more holistic approach to participants' financial wellness in the context of retirement readiness.
• The SECURE Act 2.0 is widely considered the most significant retirement plan legislation, perhaps since the passing of ERISA in 1974.

This guidebook has been created to assist investment committee members in understanding and implementing best practices for designing and managing a competitive defined contribution (DC) plan in today's complex and challenging environment. We hope you find these updates useful, relevant, and informative, and we trust that the guidebook will remain a valuable resource for all those involved in overseeing DC plans.

A look inside