3 issues shaping the future of retirement planning: Morningstar

Core Insights - The core challenge of retirement planning is shifting from merely encouraging savings to focusing on personalized strategies for income generation and decumulation [1][2] Industry Trends - There is a growing financial awareness among participants, leading to a shift in conversations from the importance of saving to how much to save and invest for retirement income [2] - Standardized investment solutions like target-date funds are becoming common, but there is a need for personalized guidance to improve outcomes for employees [3] Personalization in Retirement Planning - Managed accounts are increasingly central to 401(k) plans, with access rising from 17% in 2014 to 42% in 2023, indicating a trend towards personalized investing [4] - Higher fees associated with managed accounts may be justified, as they can increase the wealth-to-salary ratio at age 65 by 7.7% compared to target-date funds and self-directed portfolios [5] Behavioral Insights - Individuals using managed accounts tend to save more and maintain their investment course longer, regardless of market conditions, due to a more comprehensive view of their financial situation [6]