Defined contribution outsourced CIO (OCIO) solutions
Guiding your participants toward better decision-making as they save for retirement.
Helping improve retirement outcomes for retirement plan participants is a crucial goal of DC plan sponsors. We're dedicated to helping you employ best practices in plan design, investments, and implementation.
Maintain control of what is important to you; delegate the rest.
Like many fiduciaries, plan sponsors may find that keeping up with defined contribution regulatory requirements, plan design changes, and oversight of investment managers, recordkeepers, trustees, and custodians are draining limited resources. Outsourcing may be the answer.
Plan sponsors may benefit from engaging us as a co-fiduciary for:
- DC plan design
- Investment manager search and ongoing management
- Participant communications
- Recordkeeper searches and oversight
INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

When it comes to DC plans, outsourcing can take many forms, from limited-scope duties such as investment manager selection and monitoring to full plan management and administration. For over 30 years, we have provided award-winning1 fiduciary management services to corporate retirement plans.
1 Russell Investments was ranked as a top global manager of Defined Benefit outsourced assets, out of 47 firms, in CIO Magazine’s “2023 Outsourced-Chief Investments Officer (OCIO) Survey,” based on the AUM from its fully discretionary clients (as of 12/31/2022).
Defined contribution investments
The default option is increasing in importance
Target date funds have become the most popular DC plan QDIA (qualified default investment alternative) option because they offer a sound investment strategy that helps streamline retirement savings. Target date funds aren't for everyone, however. We offer other default investment strategy options to meet the unique needs of your plan and your participants. We believe a well-built investment menu designed for several types of investors can help drive better outcomes for participants.
Learn more about defined contribution investmentsMulti-manager Institutional & Custom funds
Target Date Funds
Outcome-oriented funds built to provide access to some of the best researched money managers. We also have custom target date funds, which are specially tailored to your plan's unique needs.
Dynamic fund management
Institutionally-priced
multi-asset funds
For diversification within multiple asset classes.
Defined contribution
plan handbook
Third edition
The challenges of managing a DC plan continue to become more complex, and we've updated this third edition to address this evolution.
Receive the third edition now
Explore related research, articles, and insights
Institutional research
Income is the outcome, Part 2: An assessment of today's lifetime income product categories
Income is the outcome, Part 1: Is DC lifetime income ready to take off with SECURE Act changes?
Income is the outcome: A review of lifetime income solutions
Elements of a clearly defined IPS for DC plans
HANDBOOK
Defined contribution plan handbook: Third edition
CASE STUDIES
Public DC plan implements OCIO
Adding retirement income options to a DC plan
Case studies are problem-solving stories. We select a situation that is indicative of problems clients in this category are facing. The recommendations described do not represent a standard strategy or set of recommendations made for all advisory clients with similar issues. Each client has unique requirements, challenges, and constraints, and our advisory solutions are tailored to each client’s specific needs.
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