Private Markets in 401(k)s: Wilshire’s Todd Cassler Explains Hurdles to Adoption

It’s been a little more than a year since President Trump signed an executive order seeking to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans (https://401kspecialistmag.com/tag/alt...) , clearing a path for private equity, private credit and other alternatives to become part of the defined contribution plan equation. But creating the products may be the easy part. Broader adoption still requires addressing key operational and fiduciary challenges around liquidity, valuation, fees and oversight—and preparing advisors and investment committees to evaluate these investments. In this episode, Todd Cassler, Chief Revenue Officer (  / toddcassler  ) at alternative and multi-asset investment solutions provider Wilshire (https://wilshire.com/) , joins 401(k) Specialist Editor-in-Chief Brian Anderson to discuss what needs to happen before private markets can realistically scale in 401(k)s, why advisor education will be critical, and one particularly provocative question for firms advocating for private markets in DC plans: Are they putting these investments in their own employees’ retirement plans?