The Management of Defined Contribution Pension Plans in Local Government

Despite the growing importance of defined contribution pension plans in state and local governments, little research exists on how those plans are actually managed. Our study fills a gap in the literature through using a mixed-methods approach on a sample of local governments in Nebraska. We employ a mail-out survey to get broadbased information on DC plan administration throughout the state, and use face-to-face interview techniques on a subsample of plans to investigate the details of plan management. We find several deviations from promulgated best practices, and substantial variation in administrators' knowledge of and role perception related to DC plans.