The empower retirement ranking question comes up constantly among 401(k) participants trying to figure out whether their plan administrator is trustworthy. Empower, formerly Great-West Lifeco's U.S. retirement business, is one of the largest retirement plan providers in the United States, serving tens of millions of participants according to company disclosures. The problem?
Rankings you find online come from very different sources — rating agencies, complaint databases, and industry surveys — and they don't always agree. This guide breaks down what the rankings actually measure, where Empower stands, and how to use that information to make smarter decisions about your own retirement money.
What an Empower Retirement Ranking Actually Measures
An empower retirement ranking is not a single score — it's a collection of ratings from different organizations measuring different things. Morningstar evaluates investment products and services, the Better Business Bureau grades complaint handling, and regulators like FINRA and the SEC track disciplinary history.
Confusing these sources is the most common mistake investors make. A low BBB letter grade may reflect customer-service complaints, not the safety of your funds, while an A+ grade says nothing about fund fees. According to the FINRA BrokerCheck tool, investors can review a firm's registration and disciplinary history for free — a step many people skip entirely.
How to apply this: Before trusting any ranking, identify who produced it and what it actually measures — safety, cost, service, or performance.
Market Position: Empower's Scale and Standing
Empower's empower retirement ranking in the industry is driven largely by scale. Through major acquisitions — including Personal Capital in 2020 and J.P. Morgan's retirement recordkeeping business — the company rebranded as Empower in 2023 and became one of the largest providers of defined-contribution plan recordkeeping services in the U.S.
Industry surveys from sources like Pensions & Investments consistently place Empower among the top recordkeepers by total assets under administration, alongside Fidelity, Vanguard, and T. Rowe Price. Rankings in this category shift year to year, so check the most recent survey before drawing conclusions.
How to apply this: Ask your employer's HR department which recordkeeping firm administers your plan, then look that firm up in the latest industry survey rather than relying on outdated blog posts.
Ratings and Complaint History: Where to Look
The most useful empower retirement ranking data comes from official complaint and regulatory databases, not promotional "top 10" lists. Here's where to check:
- Empower's official website — company disclosures, form CRS, and plan services
- FINRA BrokerCheck — licensing and disciplinary history
- Better Business Bureau — complaint volume and resolution patterns
- SEC Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) — advisory-firm records
As FINRA's guidance emphasizes, "checking the background of an investment professional takes only a few minutes and is one of the most prudent steps an investor can take." FINRA states this in its investor-education materials, and the same logic applies to the plan provider itself.
How to apply this: Spend ten minutes today running Empower through BrokerCheck and the BBB — it's free and takes less time than reading one more blog ranking.
Fees: The Ranking Factor Most Lists Ignore
A high empower retirement ranking means little if plan fees quietly erode your returns over decades. Fee-related complaints are among the most common issues raised against large recordkeepers, and litigation over 401(k) fees has been a recurring theme across the industry.
Use this comparison framework when evaluating any provider:
| Data source | What it tells you | Action to take |
|---|---|---|
| FINRA BrokerCheck | Disciplinary and regulatory history | Search the firm's legal name |
| BBB profile | Complaint volume and resolution | Read complaint responses, not just the grade |
| Form CRS | Services and conflicts of interest | Request from the firm directly |
| Plan fee disclosure | Your actual 401(k) costs | Review annually with HR |
| Morningstar | Product/service evaluations | Check specific funds, not the whole firm |
How to apply this: Pull your plan's fee disclosure document and compare the expense ratios of your funds against similar low-cost index options from Vanguard or Fidelity.
How to Use Rankings to Protect Your Retirement
Rankings are inputs, not answers — your empower retirement ranking research should end with a personal decision.
If your plan has high fees and weak fund options, your practical remedies are limited but real: you can raise the issue with your employer, shift future contributions toward the lowest-cost funds in the plan, or redirect rollover and IRA money to a provider you prefer.
A common scenario: a worker changes jobs, leaves $50,000 in an old high-cost 401(k), and later rolls it into an IRA at a lower-cost firm. The ranking of the old provider mattered less than the individual's action. Rankings inform; your decisions decide.
How to apply this: Set a calendar reminder to review your plan's fund lineup and fees once per year, using the checklist above.
Frequently Asked Questions About empower retirement ranking
How reliable are online empower retirement ranking lists?
Most are marketing content, not independent research. They often earn affiliate commissions from firms they rank. Trust regulator databases like FINRA BrokerCheck far more than a blog's "top 10" list, and treat any empower retirement ranking without a named methodology as opinion rather than data.
Does a low BBB grade mean my 401(k) money is unsafe?
No. The BBB grades complaint-handling, not financial solvency. Customer-service complaints often drive down grades even at financially sound firms. Your funds are held in trust separate from the recordkeeper's assets, so an empower retirement ranking based on complaints should not be read as a safety warning.
How does Empower compare to Fidelity and Vanguard?
Fidelity and Vanguard also rank among the largest U.S. recordkeepers, and all three serve millions of participants. Differences usually come down to plan fees, fund menus, and interface design. An empower retirement ranking comparison is only meaningful for your specific employer plan, since employers choose the recordkeeper — not employees.
Why did Empower's reputation change after rebranding?
Empower absorbed several brands, including Great-West and Personal Capital, which became "Empower Personal Wealth." Rebranding caused confusion in reviews, with some complaints and rankings mixing pre- and post-rebrand entities. When researching any empower retirement ranking, confirm which legal entity the review describes.
Can I switch providers if my plan ranks poorly?
Not directly — your employer picks the 401(k) recordkeeper while you're employed. You can, however, roll over old plans into an IRA, raise fee concerns with HR, or minimize costs by choosing low-expense funds inside the plan. An empower retirement ranking is a signal to investigate, not an immediate exit.
Conclusion
An empower retirement ranking is useful only when you understand its source and scope. Key takeaways:
- Rankings measure different things — safety, cost, service, and scale — so never treat one number as a verdict
- Official tools like BrokerCheck and the BBB reveal more than promotional "top 10" lists
- Fees matter more than brand rankings over the long run
- Your employer picks the recordkeeper, so your influence comes through fund selection and fee advocacy
The next step is simple: this week, look up your plan provider in FINRA BrokerCheck, review your plan's fee disclosure, and identify your lowest-cost fund options. That personal audit will tell you more than any published empower retirement ranking ever could.
