FRC Predicts $2T in IRA Rollovers in Coming Years

While regular monthly contributions and market appreciation are key drivers of the expected DC plan growth, FRC says IRA rollovers have historically been the major source of contributions for IRAs. In a new report, “The Rollover Decision: Successful Strategies for Retaining Retirement Assets,” FRC states that rollovers will continue to be the major driver of cash flows, predicting record IRA rollover contributions of nearly $2 trillion from 2011 to 2015.  

The report discusses rollover opportunities and best practices for asset managers that offer both recordkeeping and IRA platforms to retain assets when a participant decides to rollover the assets to an IRA. FRC believes that the largest area of opportunity is the trend toward open architecture in target-date and target-risk funds.  

FRC found that a majority of managers surveyed agreed that open architecture in DC plans provides substantial opportunity to garner and retain assets, as well as capture investor mind share. Target-date funds are the most popular qualified default investment alternative (QDIA), with most assets in the proprietary funds of asset managers offering recordkeeping, the report says. Open architecture gives the opportunity for asset managers to pry market share away from these proprietary offerings, the report concludes.