401(K) Plan Asset Allocation, Account Balances, and Loan Activity in 2001

Abstract

This Issue Brief examines asset allocation, account balance, and loan activity of a large and representative group of 401(k) plan participants as of year-end 2001 using data gathered by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI) in their collaborative effort known as the EBRI/ICI Participant-Directed Retirement Plan Data Collection Project. The EBRI/ICI 401(k) database is the most comprehensive source of 401(k) plan participant-level data available to date, containing 14.6 million active 401(k) plan participants in 48,786 plans with $632.7 billion in assets. The 2001 database accounts for 12 percent of all 401(k) plans, 33 percent of all 401(k) participants, and about 36 percent of the assets held in 401(k) plans.

Keywords: 401(k) Plans, Asset Allocation, Employment-based Benefits, Pension Plan Assets, Pension Plan Loans, Retirement Plans, Self-directed Investments

JEL Classification: D31, G11, J26