
Defined Contribution
Why defined contribution plans partner with BlackRock
As a global defined contribution investment-only provider, BlackRock DC provides a breadth of capabilities and depth of knowledge across asset management, plan design, client engagement and participant communications.
Investment capabilities
Defined contribution plans have become the primary way most Americans save for retirement. Let BlackRock help you design a plan that’s built to achieve participants’ retirement goals.
Get to know us
Common questions about our products and services
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Retirement is changing, with people living longer and investing in more challenging markets. That’s why many of the world’s largest DC plans trust BlackRock with their participants’ retirement futures. As a global defined contribution investment-only provider, BlackRock provides a breadth of capabilities and depth of knowledge across asset management, plan design, and participant communications.
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As a BlackRock client, you have access to innovative solutions informed by decades of how participants work, earn, spend and behave in changing market regimes. As a pioneer in target date, index and data-driven alpha strategies, we continue to evolve to help meet changing client needs through new investment solutions and award-winning participant engagement strategies.
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Being a BlackRock client means you have access to dedicated partners who can help with everything from seamless product implementation to plan optimization and helping effectively engage participant populations. With 100+ dedicated DC professionals, we act as an extension of your team.
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BlackRock believes that effective communication is crucial, so it shouldn’t be taken lightly—but it doesn’t have to be costly or time-consuming. Your understanding of your organization, paired with our DC plan communications expertise, will allow us to build a strategy that helps motivate your employees to act.
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Risk management is at the heart of everything we do. Your participants benefit from the power of Aladdin®, BlackRock’s risk analytics, portfolio management and trading platform. Aladdin leverages the collective intelligence of over $15 trillion in assets to help us better understand the exposures and risks across every product and asset class we manage.
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BlackRock is dedicated to delivering insights that provide greater clarity on optimizing your plan and reaching your objectives. Retirement insights include propriety research, demographic and economic trends, and investment commentary that can help you understand emerging risks and opportunities.
Latest retirement insights
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Retirement income for better outcomes
Feb 25, 2021We believe helping deliver retirement income remains an important element of an employer’s benefits package. Here are our core principles for meaningful in-plan retirement income offerings. -
Retirement policy is a rare oasis of bipartisan action
Oct 20, 2020With work on the SECURE Act 2.0 likely to continue, learn how both parties remain committed to strengthening retirement security for Americans. -
Running the numbers on retirement readiness
Sep 7, 2020Using data-driven plan design recommendations from BlackRock's Future in Focus® tool may help make the case for better participant outcomes. -
DC People and Money
Jul 7, 2020According to our BlackRock survey, participants are more comfortable with investing and tech, and more realistic about retirement than most investors. -
Resilience check-up
Jun 9, 2020A post-volatility checklist for the QDIA, plan design and participant communications. -
Before and after surveys show confidence, concerns
May 14, 2020 | ByDC Pulse and follow up survey asks: Did COVID-19 volatility shift participant perceptions? -
Words of advice on CARES Act: Slow down!
Apr 16, 2020 | ByERISA attorney Marcia Wagner say topline summaries of the Act are useful, but may lead to potentially damaging mistaken assumptions. -
A guide to DC loans during turmoil
Mar 23, 2020 | ByWhat to tell participants about borrowing from their DC plans during market volatility. -
Market volatility: 3 actions for plan sponsors
Mar 12, 2020 | ByWhat plan sponsors can do to help participants combat fear and stay invested during market volatility – and prepare for next time. -
Improve Americans’ retirement security
Jan 23, 2020 | ByThe SECURE Act contains key provisions that plan sponsors and providers can take advantage of to help participants better establish retirement security. -
Emergency Savings = Better Retirement?
Nov 14, 2019 | ByThe ability to meet short-term or unexpected financial needs might be a key to a better retirement. -
Reimagining retirement income
Oct 14, 2019 | ByEmbedding retirement income in default investment options may help overcome participants' behavioral biases against adopting sustainable income solutions. -
9 misconceptions about company stock
Sep 10, 2019 | BySome employers still allow participants to invest in company stock through their retirement plans, but at what risk? -
Retirement
2019 DC Pulse: 403(b) Report
Aug 12, 2019 | ByNew BlackRock research finds 403(b) and 401(k) plan sponsors and participants continue to diverge in surprising ways. -
Retirement
Will the SECURE Act live up to its name?
Jun 17, 2019 | ByWe discuss what the SECURE Act means for both retirement in general and participants in defined contribution plans. -
Retirement
Reenrollment: Get a bigger impact from your best thinking
Jun 14, 2019 | ByLimiting new defaults and plan design innovations to new hires creates two separate and unequal participant populations: those who benefit from your best ideas, and those left behind. -
Plan design
Framework for multinational companies
May 7, 2019 | ByBlackRock has created a framework for global retirement principles and governance for multi-national employers. -
Retirement
Driving well-being through retirement preparedness
Apr 1, 2019 | ByThis year's DC Pulse survey offers key takeaways for plan design, investments and in-plan retirement income options - and reveals the surprising link between retirement planning and current well-being. -
Target date strategies
How should target date funds hedge inflation?
Mar 8, 2019 | ByNew BlackRock research into human capital offers insight into how - and when - target date funds need to manage inflation. -
Target date strategies
The Agg and target date funds: Still the choice?
Mar 7, 2019 | ByAs the fixed income market evolves, plan sponsors are asking: Does the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Index still deliver return and diversification for target date fund investors? -
Retirement
Building effective participant communications
Feb 28, 2019 | ByBlackRock partnered with the National Association of Retirement Plan Participants (NARPP) to help plans leverage the latest research to identify practices that are essential to building effective communications. -
Plan design
American Airlines case study
Feb 26, 2019 | BySee how American Airlines' merger with U.S. Airways resulted in a simplified, yet customizable investment menu that suited a broad range of employee preferences. -
Core investment menu
Securities lending: What's in it for participants?
Feb 11, 2019 | ByToday, with new regulations and greater transparency since the financial crisis, securities lending activity has reached its highest level in a decade.
Meet our team
With regional offices throughout the United States, BlackRock’s dedicated Defined Contribution team serves as consultative partners to clients as well as thought leaders on industry trends.


