Customized client service plan

Although our solutions may encompass many different areas of need as we work with you, we always provide a customized client service plan. This monitoring tool summarizes performance information relative to your defined monitoring criteria and helps document your stewardship, enabling more effective and efficient decision-making.

Investment policy review, development and governance

We understand the importance of developing an investment policy statement that will help guide your investment decisions. As part of our governance process, we assist in the creation of an investment policy statement that includes your investment time horizon, risk tolerance, expected return and cash flow needs.

Asset allocation guidance

Building your investment plan and portfolio includes selecting asset classes and an allocation appropriate for your organization, and in alignment with your investment policy. We keep in mind the need for active versus passive investing needs, as well as more specific considerations like your spending policy.

Investment search and selection assistance

Considerable time and effort is devoted to designing investment portfolios aligned with client objectives. We evaluate, research and identify investments and portfolios that meet our stringent standards prior to recommending them.

Performance reporting

Our team goes beyond the initial groundwork and recommendations to help you document both quantitative and qualitative data. And, of course, we review performance, management, fees and other necessary due diligence.

Research and due diligence

With access to institutional-class managers and an independent due diligence process and research, we provide a high level of investment insight and strategic thinking. Our team of specialists research and communicate with investment managers on an ongoing basis, and we emphasize proactive communication on the results of this monitoring to ensure we continue to meet your needs.

Services and education for fiduciaries

Whether providing documentation for fiduciary processes or insights to assist with upholding your fiduciary responsibilities, we can help ensure you are fulfilling your fiduciary requirements.

Through a number of varied solutions, we can help set up and manage your organization's retirement plan. In addition, we can review and help assess current fees and expenses to provide understanding and options aligned with your organization's goals.

The company or organization sponsoring the retirement plan for employee benefits holds the fiduciary responsibility to understand how fees and expenses are being assessed within their plan and to ensure they are reasonable. However, plan sponsors are often unaware of the many indirect fees frequently collected to offset plan expenses, such as 12b-1 and revenue-sharing agreements.

In our experience, the majority of plan sponsors don't know these expenses even exist or that they can be managed more effectively. Indirect fees can expose plan sponsors to potential conflicts of interest and other fiduciary liabilities, which may be avoided by undertaking a comprehensive audit of their retirement plan expenses, benchmarking the results, and developing explicit cost assignment models and prudent investment policies.

Our retirement plan solutions include:

• Defined contribution plans – 401(k), 403(b), 457
• Defined benefit plans – traditional, cash balance, hybrid
• Money purchase and profit-sharing plans
• Nonqualified deferred compensation plans
• Specialty plans for executives and key employees
• Group 529 plans

With our counsel, we believe our clients experience increased efficiencies, lower administrative costs and more employee satisfaction and participation. And, as members of Raymond James Retirement Plan Advisory Council (RPAC) – a collective of financial advisors offering specialized experience and support for retirement plan sponsors – our team consistently provides these services with a high level of expertise.