Plan Activity Relatively Calm

According to the Investment Company Institute (ICI), defined contribution (DC) plan activity remained stable for the most part through the first three quarters of 2013. Highlights include:

• Withdrawals were at 3%, similar to the first three quarters of 2012.
• Hardship withdrawals were at 1.4%, the same as a year earlier.
• 9.2% changed asset allocations for their account balances, while 6.8% did the same for contributions.
• Loan activity is still high, at 18.3% of participants.
• 401(k) and other DC assets comprise about 25% of the nearly $22 trillion in total retirement assets.

The ICI survey represents about 24 million accounts serviced by DC recordkeeping firms.