Financial Firms Accelerate Workplace Wealth Push as 70% of RPAs Add Retirement-Linked Services
Updated
Updated · Wealth Management · Jun 29
Financial Firms Accelerate Workplace Wealth Push as 70% of RPAs Add Retirement-Linked Services
3 articles · Updated · Wealth Management · Jun 29
Summary
70% of retirement-plan advisors and aggregators now offer wealth services, signaling that workplace retirement and wealth management are moving from niche strategy to industrywide push.
2.1 times faster growth for advisors who also handle retirement plans is helping drive the shift, while 35% of advisors say winning wealth clients at work is easier than through traditional prospecting.
Creative Planning has become a standout consolidator through Lockton’s $100 billion retirement division and Sageview’s $285 billion business, while firms including LPL, Edward Jones and Edelman Financial Engines are expanding workplace capabilities.
$74 trillion in wealth assets and advisor fees roughly eight times higher than DC plan fees make the economics compelling, even as the DC market leaks $1 trillion a year to IRAs.
100 million active retirement-plan participants and new plan formation fueled by government mandates are widening the pipeline, pushing asset managers and record keepers deeper into convergence.
With AI automating financial planning, what is the future role for human advisors in the workplace?
Will integrated financial advice at work truly empower employees or create new conflicts of interest?
As alternative assets enter 401(k) plans, are savers being exposed to unacceptable investment risks?
Workplace Wealth and Retirement in 2026: Navigating Regulatory Shifts, Tech Innovation, and Employee Expectations
Overview
In 2026, workplace wealth and retirement services are rapidly transforming as financial firms accelerate their involvement, moving beyond traditional retirement plans to offer comprehensive financial well-being solutions. This shift is driven by new regulations like SECURE 2.0, which add complexity for employers and create opportunities for financial firms to provide expert guidance and support. As a result, workplace offerings have become a key battleground for financial service providers, reshaping how employers and employees approach long-term financial security and making integrated, holistic solutions more important than ever.