Expand Financial ™ (eFL) – Easy to Use | Comprehensive | Turn-Key

Truly meeting the regulatory requirements of retirement plan oversight is difficult for advisors, plan sponsors and trustees. They are often not ERISA specialists; but we are! eFL, as ERISA specialists, supports the advisor and plan sponsor by assisting in plan design and benchmarking, fulfillment of the Investment Management duties, and providing ongoing reporting to ensure the plan adheres to ERISA regulations. Additionally, eFL accepts the fiduciary duty of investment management and oversight from the plan sponsor/trustee. eFL helps to greatly improve the quality of plan investments, reduce costs to the participant, all while reducing the fiduciary liability of the Plan’s stakeholders.


Bundled Retirement Plan Solution Options

We offer two comprehensive retirement plan solutions to serve your clients’ retirement plan needs.

Ready Go! 401(k)
  • Plan and investment-level cost comparison and benchmarking
  • Participant services and support
  • Professionally designed proposals and marketing tools to showcase your services
  • Straightforward costs
  • Simple solutions to save time and boost revenue
  • Team of nationally recognized providers
  • Industry-leading tools and full-service support
  • Comprehensive fiduciary oversight
  • Diversified investment line-ups
  • Mid Atlantic Trust Company provides custody services

By registering as a Ready Go! 401(k) website user, you gain access to a wide variety of tools and resources to make selling and overseeing retirement plans easy.

Embark
  • A custom solution, rather than a "one-size-fits-all" solution
  • Absorb fiduciary liability for plan investment and administrative decisions
  • Make it simple and easy for your advisors to provide a sophisticated, prudent retirement plan solution
  • Increase retirement readiness through employee education and targeted communications
  • Document and archive plan reviews, benchmarking, and investment monitoring
  • Provides choice in custodial options

By registering as an Embark website user, you gain access to a wide variety of tools and resources to make selling and overseeing retirement plans easy.

 

Service Benefits

  • Investment Management Fiduciary Delegation
    • 3(21): Investment Consultant or
    • 3(38): Investment Manager
  • Plan Committee Support from True Retirement Plan Experts
  • Easy to Use Investment Approach for Participants
  • Ensure Plan Providers Are Cost Competitive
  • Assist in Finding (and Negotiating) “Best of Breed” Support Partners

System Features

  • Investment Policy Statement (IPS) Creation
  • Investment Selection and Monitoring Documentation
  • Best Practice Investment Line-Up Creation and Monitoring
  • Quarterly Monitoring Reports Against IPS
  • Level Compensation
Investment Consulting 3(21) / Investment Management 3(38) Services

Automated Advisory Process for Retirement Plans Increases Plan Effectiveness

eFL incorporates a best practice approach to building investment line-ups for retirement plans. The line-up is built for cost efficiency, performance optimization, and ease of use for participants.

 

The Process

  • Investment Policy Statement Built (IPS)
  • Investment Selection and Monitoring Document Provided
  • Product Data Loaded Monthly for Investment Review
  • System Generated Quarterly Reports Provided Against IPS
  • Best of Asset Category Investments Selected

The Approach

  • Asset Category Coverage Defined Based on Plan Needs
  • Investment Performance Monitoring Standards Defined
  • Available Investments for Platform Screened
  • Top Performers Selected
  • For Participants, Do It Yourself vs. Do It for You Approach, Supported and Educated
Investment Approach:
Tier 1: We Do It For You

The plan decides on a target date or target risk approach. Participants are educated on assessing their personal risk tolerance. Allocations are set based on individual risk profiles. The investments in tier 1 are managed by top performing professional managers that, by prospectus, manage their product to their respective risk profile. This provides professional investment management that participants can set and forget.

Tier 2: Do It Yourself

For participants comfortable with building asset allocation models, or for those with outside advisors, a collection of specific asset category investments are provided. The plan gives coverage over the major asset categories, which gives the tools to build an asset allocation portfolio.

  • Step 1: Select Asset Categories to Cover in Plan (Best Practice Default Provided)
  • Step 2: Select Best Funds Available on Platform for Each Category
  • Step 3: Educate Participants on Tier 1/Tier 2 Investment Approach
  • Step 4: Expand Monitors Investments and Adjusts As Necessary

Partners We Serve:

  • Advisors
  • Institutions
  • Investment Managers