Morgan Stanley's Retirement Plan Survey found that retirement plan sponsors are focused on five key priorities: improving participant understanding of 401(k) plans, evaluating retirement income solutions, modernizing investment lineups, leveraging investment consultants, and delivering more personalized financial wellness engagement. These trends reflect growing employee expectations and increasing complexity in retirement plan management.
Retirement Plan Survey: What Plan Sponsors Are Prioritizing Now
Explore key findings from Morgan Stanley's 2026 Retirement Plan Survey, including trends in participant education, retirement income solutions, and more.
What Are Retirement Plan Sponsors Prioritizing?
1. Participant understanding remains a top priority
Helping employees understand their 401(k) plan remains a leading concern, reflecting the role retirement savings can play in overall financial wellness.
2. Retirement income is gaining attention—but adoption challenges remain
Many sponsors recognize the importance of retirement income solutions as more employees approach retirement, while fiduciary concerns, participant understanding and fees continue to influence adoption.
3. Investment lineups continue to evolve
Sponsors are evaluating opportunities such as retirement income solutions, managed accounts and alternatives, while balancing cost, complexity, fiduciary responsibility and participant utilization.
4. Consultants remain central to plan decision-making
Investment consultants remain valued resources for assessing plan lineups and helping sponsors navigate increasingly complex plan decisions.
5. Engagement strategies are becoming more personalized and holistic
Plan sponsors are using digital tools, education, group sessions and one-on-one support to help employees make informed decisions, with many expanding into broader financial wellness topics.
Turn Survey Insights Into Stronger Plan Outcomes
As 401(k) plans become increasingly important to employees’ financial futures, plan sponsors have an opportunity to support stronger outcomes through thoughtful design, targeted education and informed investment oversight.
Whether your organization is reviewing its investment lineup, evaluating retirement income solutions or looking for new ways to improve participant engagement, Morgan Stanley can help plan sponsors navigate the complexities of your 401(k) retirement plan needs and goals.
Download the full report to explore the findings.
Retirement Plan Survey: What Plan Sponsors Are Prioritizing Now
Explore key findings from Morgan Stanley's 2026 Retirement Plan Survey, including trends in participant education, retirement income solutions, and more.
About the Survey
The findings are based on a telephone survey of 200 plan sponsors, conducted in July and August 2026.
To qualify, respondents were required to:
- Be part of the team responsible for making investment decisions for a 401(k) plan
- Work for a for-profit business with at least $50 million in plan assets under management
Morgan Stanley was not identified as the research sponsor during data collection. Statistical significance testing was conducted at the 90% confidence level.
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