Survey of the Retirement Landscape
Actionable insights from Voya IM for DC specialists and plan sponsors
About the survey
Since 2016, Voya Investment Management has conducted a biennial survey to gain insights into the evolving perceptions and practices of those who advise, implement, and benefit from employer-sponsored retirement savings programs. The 2025 Survey of the Retirement Landscape captures a decade of trends that we will share through a three-part series covering defined contribution (DC) specialists, plan sponsors, and plan participants.
In this report, our research focuses on DC specialists. Our goal is to:
- understand the evolving needs of plan sponsor clients and prospects
- help DC specialists align their services with sponsor priorities
- identify business opportunities for DC specialists to address
- reveal participant preferences to guide specialists in supporting positive outcomes
DC specialist worksheet: Benchmark your service offerings
Not all financial professionals who work with retirement plans perform the same services. How does your service package compare to those of other DC specialists?
Our worksheet is designed to identify your strengths and areas of opportunities to help make your practice more competitive.
To see how your practice stacks up, answer the below questions, then open the fold to compare your responses to our survey findings.
Key findings
- Sponsors continued to overestimate participant retirement readiness—although a significantly higher number of participants said they feel somewhat or very prepared for retirement compared with 2023.
- Ensuring the plan’s regulatory compliance and reducing plan fees were the two most important areas of short-term focus for sponsors. Improving plan participation and helping participants transition to retirement were also top concerns.
How do you stack up to other plan sponsors? Benchmark your priorities
Use the worksheet with your plan sponsor clients to start a conversation to define their priorities and identify opportunities for you to assist them in achieving their goals.
Key findings
- Participant retirement preparedness sentiment increased significantly in 2025, with 69% indicating they feel very or somewhat prepared for retirement. Still, many participants would benefit from additional support from plan sponsors and DC specialists, as more than half of participants expressed concerns about inflation, market volatility, and the economy.
- Many participants did not view themselves as experienced investors, and the past few years have had mixed impact on their confidence. This suggests that many would welcome reassurance and support on key topics, such as the potential benefits of their plans and support for important decisions.