DCSIMG
Mercer

Defined Contribution

 

 

ABOUT DC

 

Mercer provides end-to-end DC consulting from plan design to investment advice to administration. Our DC specialists work with clients to ensure that their DC plans fit their corporate objectives and that the plans are designed to attract, motivate and retain the best employees. We work with both multinational and domestic organizations to create “high-performing” DC plans that help employees plan and save for retirement. Current DC plan hot topics across the globe relate to benefit adequacy, member engagement, fee transparency and post-retirement spend down.

 

 

MAKING SMART BENEFIT CHOICES


Enabling employees to make smart benefit choices is a major issue for today's employers as identified by Mercer's Inside Employers' Minds initiative. Making Smart Benefit choices focuses on enabling employees to make better choices as they take greater accountability for their retirement and health benefit decisions.

 

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10 IDEAS TO CONSIDER: Is your DC plan as successful as it can be? Learn more

 

DC Connections - Is your DC plan successful? Factors to consider when measuring successIS YOUR DC PLAN SUCCESSFUL?
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN MEASURING SUCCESS

 

Volume VI - January 2012

 

We are delighted to present the sixth edition of Mercer’s DC Connections. In this issue, we explore the critical success factors of defined contribution (DC) plans. The topic of plan success comes during a period of turmoil that is driving the prioroties of the DC plan. From an employee perspective, retirement savings is becoming a more important element of the employment value proposition. As highlighted in Mercer's recent Inside Employees' MindsTM  survey of attitudes about elements of the employment value proposition, effective savings and retirement programs were highlighted as an important element of the value proposition in nine of the 17 countries surveyed. Further, in the US and Canada, retirement programs ranked the second most important element (behind pay) to the elements of the employment "deal."

 

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EFFECTIVE EMPLOYER-SPONSORED RETIREMENT SAVINGS PROGRAMS MEAN HAPPIER EMPLOYEES


Over recent years, the global shift from DB to DC has been both rapid and profound. However, over 80% of DC plan assets held in private savings or occupational plans have accumulated in only three countries: the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Such a high concentration of assets means that scale and investment product choice do not exist in most local markets. Additionally, multinational corporations most familiar with at least one of these three markets often believe they can easily offer the same efficient investment products and sophisticated approaches across all their plans around the world.

 

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WEBCAST

LATEST TRENDS IN DEFINED CONTRIBUTION AND WORKPLACE SAVINGS (UK)

 

In recent years, there has been a significant shift in the business landscape. The focus has shifted towards operational optimization and overall cost reduction. This has had an impact on how companies have designed and structured their global mobility programmes.

 

The coming years will see Defined Contribution (DC) schemes maturing, new legislation coming into force (including auto-enrolment) and the needs of multigenerational workforces diverging.

 

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DEVELOPING A GLOBAL POLICY FOR CONTROLLING YOUR DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLANS


With knowledge of best practices as well as modern tools and information systems, multinationals can create effective global DC plan policies that will deliver success. This article takes a look at the criteria that could be used as a benchmark for a given multinational’s DC plan around the world.

 

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MERCER DC HEALTH CHECK (IRELAND)


Mercer DC Health Check can help trustees and sponsors review the suitability of their DC arrangement to ensure that it is fully compliant and meets the needs of all parties.

 

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LONGEVITY, INVESTMENT RISK AND DEFINED CONTRIBUTION: PLANNING FOR FAILURE? LESSONS FROM AUSTRALIA

Would you buy a car if it worked only 50% of the time?

 

For members of defined contribution (DC) plans, 50% of the time retirement objectives will not be met if retirement plan calculations are based on average investment return and average life expectancy. This means that around half the time, investment expectations will not be fulfilled.

 

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MERCER DC FIDUCIARY FRAMEWORK TM 

HELPING RESPONSIBLE FIDUCIARIES MANAGE EFFECTIVELY

 

When did managing defined contribution (DC) retirement plans become so challenging? Originally intended as supplemental savings vehicles to complement well-funded defined benefit plans, DC plans have become the ongoing and primary employer-sponsored retirement plan for most Americans. Along with participants’ need for strong performance have come increased regulatory activity, governance requirements andfiduciary concerns.

 

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How we help clients: income adequacy, investment strategy and management, longevity projections, vendor management, risk analysis, DC global plan management, member engagement and communication, administration and member support, plan member engagement and communications

 

 

 

Mercer is a leading global provider of investment services, and offers customized guidance at every stage of the investment decision, risk management and investment monitoring process. We have been dedicated to meeting the needs of clients for more than 30 years, and we work with the fiduciaries of pension funds, foundations, endowments and other investors in some 35 countries. We assist with every aspect of institutional investing (and retail portfolios in some geographies), from strategy, structure and implementation to ongoing fiduciary management.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICES

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The findings, ratings and/or opinions expressed herein are the intellectual property of Mercer and are subject to change without notice. They are not intended to convey any guarantees as to the future performance of the investment products, asset classes or capital markets discussed. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Mercer’s ratings do not constitute individualized investment advice.
Not investment advice
This does not contain investment advice relating to your particular circumstances. No investment decision should be made based on this information without first obtaining appropriate professional advice and considering your circumstances.