2026 DC Consultant Study: Four key findings for retirement advisors
Methodology at a glance
36
$10.3T
72%
of the $14.2T DC plan market2
Key Findings
Momentum in Private Assets
Anticipation that private credit and private equity will be included in DC plan investments—primarily through target date funds—increased dramatically from 2024 to 2026
CITs and Blend Target Date Funds
Consultants and advisors also continue to express a strong preference for blend target date solutions that allocate to both active and passive strategies, with co‑manufactured target date funds gaining meaningful traction, growing to more than $70B in assets as of year‑end 2025, an increase of over 50% from 2024.*
*Sway Research, The State of the Target Date Market: Year‑End 2025; as of 12/31/2025.
AI Adoption
Firms report using AI routinely to improve operational efficiency (78%) and streamline client preparation (67%), while adoption remains limited for plan design (12%) and participant engagement and other advice‑oriented activities (9%) where human expertise and fiduciary oversight remain essential.
Active/Passive Preferences
Results suggest that consultants and advisors are taking a holistic approach to investment menu construction by evaluating active and passive strategies based on asset class characteristics.
2026 Defined Contribution Consultant Study
What consultants and advisors see ahead for defined contribution plans. Explore a full summary.
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1 Assets under advisement figures are self‑reported.
2 Source: ICI, as of December 31, 2025.
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