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ECONOMIC REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

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Figure 6-xii<br />

U.S. Retirement Assets by Type, 1978–2015<br />

Percent of Total Retirement Assets<br />

100<br />

80<br />

Government DB Plans<br />

60<br />

Private DB Plans<br />

40<br />

20<br />

Annuities<br />

DC Plans<br />

IRAs<br />

0<br />

1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2008 2013<br />

Source: Investment Company Institute.<br />

A growing body of academic and industry literature shows that<br />

such investment advice is not always in the best interest of clients. Table<br />

6-i shows that savers may obtain advice from one of two main types of<br />

investment professionals: registered investment advisers (RIA), who<br />

have a fiduciary duty to clients; and broker-dealers, who are required<br />

to give only “suitable” investment advice. In addition, only registered<br />

investment advisers may give holistic advice on a client’s investments,<br />

whereas broker-dealers primarily transact in financial markets and may<br />

provide only incidental advice to clients (SEC 2011).<br />

Compensation structures for professionals who give financial<br />

advice often introduce conflicts of interest. Some investment advisers<br />

receive conflicted payments, which is compensation that depends<br />

directly on the actions taken by the advisee, such as trading shares of a<br />

company or selling shares of a fund. Certain types of mutual funds share<br />

a higher proportion of their revenues with advisers that sell them, or<br />

pay advisers relatively high fees per share that they sell to clients. These<br />

types of compensation structures incentivize advisers to steer investors<br />

into such products even if they are not optimal for a client’s investment<br />

needs. Alternative compensation schemes such as an hourly rate<br />

or a yearly management fee charged as a percentage of assets provide<br />

payments that depend less on investment decisions and provide less<br />

opportunities for conflict of interest. Advisers not subject to a fiduciary<br />

standard may direct clients into funds that while meeting a “suitability”<br />

standard, are not in the best interests of the client.<br />

410 | Chapter 6

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