The More the Better? Characteristics and Efficiency of 401(k) Investment Menus

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Penn collection
PARC Working Paper Series
Degree type
Discipline
Subject
Defined contribution
Investment menus
Efficiency
Performance
Benchmark indexes
Mean-variance
Diversification
Demography, Population, and Ecology
Family, Life Course, and Society
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Sociology
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
Distributor
Related resources
Author
Tang, Ning
Contributor
Abstract

Few previous studies have explored whether defined contribution retirement saving plans offer sufficiently diversified investment menus, though it is likely that these menus significantly shape workers’ accumulations of retirement wealth. This paper assesses the efficiency and performance of 401(k) investment options offered by a large group of US employers. We show that the majority of plans is efficient compared to market benchmark indexes. Three performance measures underscore the fact that these plans tend to offer a sensible investment menu, when measured in terms of the menus’ mean-variance efficiency, diversification, and participant utility. The key factor contributing to plan efficiency and performance is the particular set of funds offered, rather than the total number of investment options provided. We conclude that, in 401(k) arena, “more” is not necessarily “better.”

Advisor
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Publication date
2008-03-18
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Tang, Ning. 2008. "The More the Better? Characteristics and Efficiency of 401(k) Investment Menus." PARC Working Paper Series, WPS 08-02.
Recommended citation
Collection