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Survey finds workplace retirement plan participants are interested in alternative investments, but knowledge gap remains a challenge
Research - OCTOBER 9, 2024

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Survey finds workplace retirement plan participants are interested in alternative investments, but knowledge gap remains a challenge

by Kali Persall

More than one-third (36 percent) of investors participating in a 401k, 403b or 457 workplace retirement savings plan said they would invest in private equity and private debt investments if their plan provided access to these assets, according to the Schroders 2024 U.S. Retirement Survey. Yet the knowledge gap among plan participants remains a significant hurdle.

Despite the growing prominence of alternative investments in recent years, 51 percent of all plan participants surveyed don’t understand the benefits of adding alternatives to their retirement portfolio.

Although 80 percent of these participants say access to private investments would lead them to increase the amount they are contributing to the plan, they remain uncertain when it comes to alternatives, with 64 percent saying alternative investments sound risky.

Yet this knowledge gap among plan participants isn’t limited to alternatives, as 52 percent of participants report they don’t kn

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