wood block letters that say IRA and piggy bank

IRAs by Far the Largest Component of Retirement System

September 14, 2016

401(k)s may be the gathering mechanism, but IRAs are where people put their money. Given that private sector households now hold more money in individual retirement accounts (IRAs) than in defined contribution plans (see Figure 1), I am always looking for more info about IRAs. The Investment Company Institute (ICI), an organization dedicated to…

A glass jar full of coins and plant growing through it with some coins and plant leaves.

The Economic Implications of the Department of Labor’s 2010 Proposals for Broker-Dealers

Working Paper by Alicia H. Munnell, Anthony Webb, and Francis M. Vitagliano

February 19, 2013

Abstract In 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed changes that would eliminate third-party incentive payments, such as 12b-1 fees, that may encourage broker-dealers to sell high-fee mutual funds to Individual Retirement Account (IRA) customers. The investment industry argues that eliminating these fees could force broker-dealers to charge directly for advice, which could result in…