BlackRock Launches LifePath® Solutions, Broadening Access to Customizable Target Date Investing

Combines Proprietary Plan and Demographic Analysis with Public and Private Market Investments and Lifetime Income to Better Meet the Needs of America’s Workforce

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BlackRock today unveiled LifePath® Solutions (“LPS”), a customizable target date design framework that brings capabilities historically reserved for the largest retirement plans to a broader set of plan sponsors. LPS is the first target date solution that combines sophisticated plan and participant analysis with the option to leverage BlackRock’s whole-portfolio investment capabilities across private and public markets, access to guaranteed lifetime income, and active and index strategies, all delivered by one firm. Built on BlackRock’s industry-leading $770 billion LifePath platform—one of the world's largest retirement investing franchises—LPS’ research engine analyzes plan sponsors’ needs, industry-specific dynamics, and participant demographics to determine the appropriate investment approach.

To deliver LPS, BlackRock works with plan sponsors and their advisors and consultants to understand the people a retirement plan serves and evaluate potential outcomes across different investment approaches. Because no two workforces are exactly alike, LPS applies the demographic-driven approach BlackRock has used to build LifePath products around the world directly to a workplace plan, considering how American workers earn, save and retire, alongside plan characteristics and benefits, to inform the appropriate glidepath, risk level and investment approach.

Based on that analysis, a target date solution is developed that is calibrated to the workforce, ranging from traditional index or active approaches to a whole-portfolio approach that leverages private and public market investment allocations and lifetime income solutions designed with tools often available in traditional pensions. Regardless of how plan sponsors choose to invest, LifePath Solutions delivers a custom feel with a familiar “off-the-shelf” target date experience.

“Retirement is entering a new era. As traditional pensions are increasingly scarce and individuals take on greater responsibility for funding retirement, plan sponsors are looking for more effective ways to help American workers achieve better outcomes,” said Jaime Magyera, Head of Retirement and U.S. Wealth Advisory at BlackRock. “LifePath Solutions brings together BlackRock's research, portfolio construction capabilities and investment platform to help plans deliver solutions that are better aligned to the needs of the people they serve.”

BlackRock has used LifePath research to design retirement solutions around how different populations earn, save and retire for more than 30 years. Today, BlackRock manages LifePath retirement solutions across eight countries, applying insights from different retirement systems, demographics and savings behaviors to inform its lifecycle research and portfolio design. LPS brings that experience directly to individual U.S. plans, allowing the characteristics of a specific workforce to inform the solution. For plan participants, LPS’ sophistication remains behind the scenes: they can benefit from a professionally managed target date solution that meets their needs.

“Over the last three decades, we’ve built the lifecycle research and portfolio construction engine behind LifePath while expanding our capabilities across active, index, private markets, and guaranteed income,” said Nick Nefouse, Global Head of Retirement Solutions and Head of LifePath at BlackRock. “LifePath Solutions brings those capabilities together with a deeper understanding of each workforce, allowing us to customize where it matters and ultimately help make a retirement account work more like a personal pension.”

A Changing Retirement Landscape

LPS comes as retirement needs and expectations continue to evolve. BlackRock’s 2026 Read on Retirement® survey found that while nearly seven in 10 Americans believe they are on track for retirement, projected workplace savings are expected to replace only 50–60% of the retirement income they anticipate they will need. Nearly three-quarters want access to private markets through their workplace plan, nine in 10 are interested in guaranteed lifetime income, and 81% want more personalized investment guidance.

Plan sponsors are evolving alongside them. Nearly all believe they have a responsibility to help participants generate and manage retirement income, while more are exploring private markets, active management and technology-enabled personalization.

Together, these trends reinforce BlackRock’s broader vision for the personal pension: an approach that combines professional management and including opportunities for long-term growth and lifetime income, with portfolio design informed by the needs of the people a plan serves.

About BlackRock

BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate | X: @blackrock | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock