PLANADVISER - July/August 2019 - 6

intro
The Path Forward
L
ast issue's cover story spelled out the breadth
of services that advisers will likely offer in
the future. To continue that discussion, our
lead story this time, " An Array of Models " (page
24), examines the development strategies many
solo advisory practices now consider. With all of
the merger and acquisitions (M&A) activity taking
place in the industry, this is a critical area that
advisers must evaluate to stay competitive.
One option is to remain independent but to
join an aggregator and leverage its back-office
support. Advisers could also seek to join a large,
established financial services or employee benefits
organization. A third option is to enter an
" adviser alliance " or " adviser affiliation network. " In the end, some experts
expect that the industry will begin to take on a barbell shape, with many
firms looking to expand through the opportunities cited above and others
remaining fully independent niche retirement practices.
Accompanying the 2019 PLANADVISER Recordkeeper Services Survey is
" The Value of Data " (page 28), which explores how recordkeepers use artificial
intelligence (AI) and machine learning, paired with their participant
data, to personalize education. These developments should result in heightened
participant interest in the retirement plan, thereby making it easier for
advisers to engage with these individuals and affect positive change.
" Advancing Advice for All " (page 40) reveals a new kind of managed
account service from investment managers that is easier for participants,
and advisers, to use. Offering these services is expected to simplify having
one-on-one discussions with participants. Still, one adviser says, to be effective,
these services need to help with both accumulation and decumulation
of assets; they need to be priced competitively; and they must have in-person
direction by the adviser as financial coach.
" Pension Risk Transfer on the Rise " (page 44) describes the various ways
that advisers can help sponsors of defined benefit (DB) plans transfer all or
part of their liabilities to an insurance company. The article also discusses
the factors advisers should consider to determine whether a DB plan is ready
for a pension risk transfer transaction.
" Investment Oversight Partners " (page 46) not only discusses why aggregator
firms typically handle investment oversight at headquarters but why
independent practices are starting to turn to third parties to handle 3(38)
fiduciary investment oversight. In the past, advisers' central role for retirement
plans typically was to oversee the investment lineup. However, as the
focus of plans has shifted to retirement readiness and retirement outcomes,
to be a true retirement plan adviser and not just an investment consultant, the
professional must spend more time on plan design and participant outcomes.
In addition, experts say, centralizing the investment function frees advisers
up to strengthen current customer ties and build new ones.
In " Through the 'Window' " (page 48), John Keefe writes that although
many retirement plan advisers are not big fans of brokerage windows, many
lawyers, engineers, airline pilots and doctors are. So how can advisers ensure
that the option gets used properly?
If there are other topics you'd like to see in the magazine, please reach
out to us at editors@strategic-i.com to say what you would like us to cover.
-Lee Barney
of
Winning Strategies for Retirement Plan Advisers
July-August 2019 | planadviser.com | $30
2019
RECORDKEEPER
SERVICES
SURVEY
Models
An
Some advisers find opportunities
through aggregation or affiliation
editor-in-chief: Alison Cooke Mintzer
Alison.Mintzer@strategic-i.com
creative director: SooJin Chun Buzelli, svp
SooJin.Buzelli@strategic-i.com
managing editor: Lee Barney
Lee.Barney@strategic-i.com
managing editor, planadviser.com: John Manganaro
John.Manganaro@strategic-i.com
editorial staff: Judy Faust Hartnett, Rebecca Moore,
Amanda Umpierrez, Karen Wittwer
contributors: John Keefe, Judy Ward
surveys & research: Brian O'Keefe, Jackie Scott
design & production: Donna Bien-Aimé, Alanna Jacobs,
Clarissa Liu, Joy Liu
design contributor: Cherese Rambaldi
art contributors: Polly Becker, Tim Bower, Chris
Buzelli, Andrea D'Aquino, Patrick Edell, Jackson
Joyce, Linda Liu, Paige Mehrer, Núria Tamarit,
Lia Tuia, Mark Wang, Jing Wei
head of media sales: Katie Bacon, vp
Katie.Bacon@strategic-i.com
online and digital products: Paul Zampitella, vp
Paul.Zampitella@strategic-i.com
advertising sales: Meighan McGowan, Bill Murray,
Lisa Reilly
sales operations manager: Anthony Groccia
conferences: Carol Popkins, vp; Katie Campbell,
Rebecca Fahey, Melissa Groccia, Lucille Velander
accounting operations: Abeer Abu-Issa, Mayrillane
Bahi, Ruth Fissaha, Doreen Fucci, Ricky Kostik,
Karen Kurtz
chief technology officer: Phil Herzog
technology operations: Ray Lucibello, Aaron
Montecalvo, Bhakti Patel, Jigar Patel, Dexter Reaves,
Stephen Widom
sponsored content and audience data: Drew Donaldson
Drew.Donaldson@strategic-i.com
reprints: Michelle Judkins 203-595-3276
Michelle.Judkins@strategic-i.com
PLANADVISER is owned by Institutional Shareholder
Services Inc. (ISS)
president and chief executive officer: Gary Retelny
chief operating officer: Stephen Harvey
chief financial officer: Allen Heery
global communications and marketing: Nancy Adler
PLANADVISER (ISSN 1935-9098) is published
bimonthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug,
Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec) by Institutional Shareholder
Services Inc. (1055 Washington Blvd., Stamford,
CT 06901-2218). Standard rate postage paid at
Stamford, CT, and at additional mailing rate.
postmaster Send address changes to: PLANADVISER,
P.O. Box 88, Congers, NY 10920-9916
reproduction policy PLANADVISER, Volume 13, Issue
6. No part of this publication may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form without the publisher's
permission. Authorization to photocopy items for
internal or personal use, or the internal or personal
use of specific clients, is granted by ISS, provided
that the appropriate fee is paid directly to Copyright
Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA
01923, USA. Tel: 978-750-8400. Copyright. com
©2019. Entire contents copyrighted.
6 | planadviser.com July-August 2019
PLANADVISER - July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PLANADVISER - July/August 2019
