RESEARCH | February 20, 2013

2012
Retirement Plan Adviser Survey

Advisers pick their favorite providers in our 2012 Retirement Plan Adviser Survey <br /><br />

Reported by PLANADVISER

Survey Data

Best overall service, micro plans (227 votes)
1	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	18.5%
2	Great-West Retirement Services	12.8%
3	Principal Financial Group	9.3%
4	Ascensus	7.0%
5	ADP Retirement Services	6.2%
5	Transamerica Retirement Services	6.2%
7	American Funds Distributors	4.4%
8	The Standard	4.0%
8	OneAmerica	4.0%
10	Fidelity, Hartford, Nationwide, CPI	3.5%

Best overall service, small plans (217 votes)
1	Fidelity Investments	15.2%
2	Principal Financial Group	10.1%
3	The Newport Group	8.8%
4	Great-West Retirement Services	7.8%
5	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	6.5%
6	Transamerica Retirement Services	5.1%
6	MassMutual Financial Group	5.1%
8	Diversified	4.1%
8	Bank of America Merrill Lynch	4.1%
10	The Standard, ING, Putnam	3.7%

Best overall service, midsize plans (158 votes)
1	Fidelity Investments	21.5%
2	Diversified	13.3%
3	Bank of America Merrill Lynch	9.5%
4	The Newport Group	7.6%
5	Prudential Retirement	5.1%
6	Charles Schwab	4.4%
6	T. Rowe Price	4.4%
8	New York Life Retirement Plan Services	3.8%
9	Great-West Retirement Services,Principal Financial Group, Milliman	3.2%

Best overall service, large plans (112 votes)
1	Fidelity Investments	25.9%
2	Bank of America Merrill Lynch	9.8%
3	J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services	8.0%
4	Vanguard	7.1%
5	Great-West Retirement Services	4.5%
5	The Newport Group	4.5%
5	Prudential Retirement	4.5%
5	Diversified	4.5%
5	Aon Hewitt	4.5%
10	Charles Schwab, T. Rowe Price, Milliman	3.6%

Adviser sales/marketing support (190 votes)
1	Principal Financial Group	16.8%
2	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	10.5%
3	Fidelity Investments	9.5%
4	ING	6.8%
5	The Newport Group	5.8%
6	Great-West Retirement Services	5.3%
7	MassMutual Financial Group	4.7%
8	American Funds, The Hartford, Transamerica, Nationwide, Prudential, Diversified	3.7%

Adviser support post-sale (181 votes)
1	Principal Financial Group	11.0%
2	Great-West Retirement Services	10.5%
2	Fidelity Investments	10.5%
4	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	9.9%
5	The Newport Group	8.3%
6	ING	5.5%
7	Diversified	4.4%
8	The Hartford	3.3%
9	Transamerica, The Standard,OneAmerica, MassMutual, Putnam	2.8%

Fee structure for advisers (157 votes)
1	Great-West Retirement Services	17.8%
2	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	10.2%
3	The Newport Group	7.6%
4	Ascensus	6.4%
5	Transamerica Retirement Services	5.7%
6	The Standard	4.5%
6	ING	4.5%
6	Diversified	4.5%
9	American Funds, Principal	3.8%
10	The Hartford, Charles Schwab, Putnam	3.2%

Participant education materials (196 votes)
1	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	19.9%
2	Fidelity Investments	10.2%
3	Principal Financial Group	8.7%
4	MassMutual Financial Group	6.6%
5	Diversified	5.6%
5	Putnam Investments	5.6%
7	ING	4.6%
7	The Newport Group	4.6%
9	Transamerica Retirement Services	4.1%
10	The Standard, J.P. Morgan	3.1%

Plan participant support (182 votes)
1	Fidelity Investments	15.4%
2	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	12.6%
3	Principal Financial Group	12.1%
4	Great-West Retirement Services	5.5%
4	Transamerica Retirement Services	5.5%
6	Diversified	4.9%
7	ING	3.8%
7	The Newport Group	3.8%
7	MassMutual Financial Group	3.8%
10	OneAmerica, Putnam Investments	3.3%

Plan sponsor education materials (172 votes)
1	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	12.8%
2	Principal Financial Group	12.2%
2	Fidelity Investments	12.2%
4	MassMutual Financial Group	6.4%
5	Great-West Retirement Services	4.1%
5	Transamerica Retirement Services	4.1%
5	The Newport Group	4.1%
5	Diversified	4.1%
5	Putnam Investments	4.1%
5	Bank of America Merrill Lynch	4.1%

Plan sponsor support (173 votes)
1	Principal Financial Group	12.7%
2	Fidelity Investments	11.6%
3	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	11.0%
4	The Newport Group	9.8%
5	Great-West Retirement Services	5.2%
5	Diversified	5.2%
7	Transamerica Retirement Services	3.5%
7	The Standard	3.5%
7	Putnam Investments	3.5%
7	Bank of America Merrill Lynch	3.5%

Reputation (183 votes)
1	Fidelity Investments	33.3%
2	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	7.7%
2	American Funds Distributors	7.7%
4	The Newport Group	5.5%
4	Vanguard	5.5%
6	Principal Financial Group	4.9%
7	ING	3.8%
8	Charles Schwab, T. Rowe Price, Diversified Investment Advisors, Bank of America Merrill Lynch	2.7%

Supporting materials (160 votes)
1	Fidelity Investments	15.6%
2	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	13.8%
3	Principal Financial Group	12.5%
4	The Newport Group	5.6%
4	MassMutual Financial Group	5.6%
6	American Funds Distributors	5.0%
7	Diversified	4.4%
8	Nationwide Financial, ING	3.8%
9	Great-West Retirement Services, The Standard, Bank of America Merrill Lynch	3.1%

Best wholesalers (166 votes)
1	Great-West Retirement Services	13.3%
2	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	10.8%
3	Fidelity Investments	8.4%
4	Principal Financial Group	7.8%
5	ING	7.2%
6	Transamerica Retirement Services	5.4%
6	Diversified	5.4%
8	American Funds Distributors	4.2%
9	J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services	3.6%
10	The Newport Group, Guardian	3.0%

Value-added adviser services (158 votes)
1	Principal Financial Group	14.6%
2	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	8.2%
3	Fidelity Investments	7.0%
4	MassMutual Financial Group	6.3%
5	Great-West Retirement Services	5.7%
5	The Newport Group	5.7%
7	Transamerica Retirement Services	5.1%
7	ING	5.1%
9	J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services	4.4%
9	Bank of America Merrill Lynch	4.4%

Best value for price (172 votes)
1	Great-West Retirement Services	20.3%
2	The Newport Group	6.4%
2	Vanguard	6.4%
4	Ascensus	5.2%
4	American Funds Distributors	5.2%
6	Principal Financial Group	4.7%
6	ING	4.7%
6	Putnam Investments	4.7%
9	John Hancock Retirement Plan Services	4.1%
10	Transamerica, Fidelity, MassMutual, Diversified	3.5%

*320 qualified advisers were asked to select the DC provider with the best service in each of the above categories. (See methodology.)