09/04/2025
Private equity is starting to show up in 401(k) plans.
That’s a big shift—and one a lot of folks didn’t see coming.
A recent study found that 45% of retirement plan participants would invest in private markets if given the chance, but only 12% say they truly understand those investmentsÂą.
That gap between access and understanding can be risky.
We’ve seen this before—crypto, meme stocks, tech bubbles. The more opaque something is, the more careful retirement savers need to tread.
Just because your plan offers private equity doesn’t mean it’s right for your portfolio.
What do you think?
Would you consider allocating a portion of your 401(k) to private equity, even if you didn’t fully understand how it works?
Option 1: Yes, if it can be offered within a plan, I’m sure it’s fine.
Option 2: No, I would never select an investment if I didn’t understand it.
Option 3: Yes, if my advisor recommends it, I would allocate to the fund even if I didn’t understand it.
Âą money.com