Ameritas Managed Account Programs: Meeting 2025 Retirement Needs

The retirement planning landscape is evolving rapidly in 2025, driven by significant trends that are reshaping how individuals and employers approach retirement savings. According to the 2025 forecast released by the Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC), a non-profit think tank, these are a few of several key developments to watch.

A desire for hybrid solutions: Increasingly, participants are attracted to more personalized retirement income strategies that integrate their unique circumstances, risk profiles and retirement goals. As a result, hybrid managed accounts that combine elements of traditional managed accounts with other investment options like target-date funds, are becoming more popular.

An emphasis on secure and predictable income streams: Additionally, plan sponsors are adopting more in-plan retirement income solutions, such as annuity marketplaces and systematic withdrawal programs, to provide easy-to-understand, reliable and predictable sources of income for retirees.

A need for more education: As Generation X begins to turn 60, it’s clear that additional training is needed to help plan participants prepare for retirement. Many employers are also feeling greater responsibility to help employees with retirement preparedness and are looking to enhance their financial wellness programs to include education for pre-retirees.

As a result of these trends, personalized managed accounts are gaining momentum, offering tailored investment strategies that address individual needs. And Ameritas is well positioned to meet the needs of this changing marketplace.

How Ameritas is responding to the marketplace

According to Brett Eisberg, director, product management, retirement plans at Ameritas, managed accounts programs for retirement planning resolve many of the challenges faced by savers. “While we’ve offered managed accounts for several years, we have expanded the available options within our EliteAdvantage and EliteUnlimited retirement platforms to give financial professionals a wider array of choices, so they can better serve existing clients as well as start the retirement planning conversation with new prospects.”

Jay Killgore, regional vice president, retirement plans, agrees. “With managed accounts, employees and businesses know that their account managers are putting together a personal strategy for them. This strategy isn’t based solely on age, but also on current investments and savings, current salary, any sort of match from the employer, as well as an individual’s state of residence, current and long-term savings goals, and other dynamic elements that make their situation unique. The participant can feel good knowing that the options were selected for them and their future, and also know that should their life situation change, their retirement plan can change with them.”

Why are managed accounts such a powerful retirement planning solution?

In addition to providing access to professional portfolio management, personalized investment strategies, and a disciplined approach to planning, managed accounts allow investors to change their strategy over time as their needs and life circumstances change. The benefits of these accounts are easy to understand:

Professional portfolio management: Managed accounts are professionally managed by experienced portfolio managers who stay up-to-date with market trends and make informed investment decisions. This know-how helps investors align their portfolio with their retirement goals.

Personalized investment strategies: Managed accounts are designed to cater to each individual’s unique retirement goals and risk tolerance. They create investment strategies that are specifically tailored to meet their requirements.

Disciplined approach: Managed accounts follow a systematic investment process concentrating on long-term performance and risk management. This disciplined strategy assists investors in staying on track towards achieving their retirement goals.

Products and services for today—and tomorrow

Nationwide, managed account programs are gaining in popularity as a tool for financial professionals, who are incorporating personalized retirement solutions into their suite of offerings at an accelerated rate.

“The financial professionals we work with are experienced and sophisticated,” Brett says. “Now more than ever, they see the value of offering managed accounts for their business and individual clients. We’ve been working hard to expand our offerings to meet their needs.”

To learn more about the specific details of the Managed Account Programs offered in Ameritas EliteAdvantage and EliteUnlimited platforms, financial professionals should contact their regional vice presidents. Marketing and training materials will be available for these new offerings and team support for financial professionals interested in bringing these programs to their clients.

Ameritas acts as recordkeeper in a bundled or unbundled service offering for the retirement plan and managed accounts programs are managed by independent third-party investment advisers who are not affiliated with Ameritas or its subsidiaries.