Cetera Launches My 401(k) Assistant to Provide Investment Monitoring Reports and Generate RFPs for Advisors as In-House, Back Office Service

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera Financial Group^® ("Cetera"), a leading network of independent firms supporting the delivery of objective retail financial advice, today announced the launch of its My 401(k) Assistant solution. The new service provides automatically-generated investment monitoring reports and proposal comparisons from multiple potential recordkeeper partners for any advisor looking to do retirement plan business. The services are provided by Cetera's Retirement Plan Solutions team, helping increase efficiency for retirement plan advisors. By enabling them to spend more time on core, value-added client service priorities without the need to implement new systems or alter their business practices, the service furthers Cetera's Advice-Centric Experience^® model, which envisions a profession driven by high-caliber, planning-based advice for clients.

Jon Anderson, head of Cetera's Retirement Plan Solutions team, said, "Our vision for the Advice-Centric future of how advisors impact individuals' financial lives includes helping retirement plan-focused advisors strengthen and deepen their relationships with the plan sponsors and participants they serve. Cetera's new My 401(k) Assistant enables our advisors to 'in-source' critical yet time-consuming functions like comparing complex proposals from recordkeepers and performing detailed monitoring of investment performance. This allows advisors to upgrade their efficiency and focus their efforts on relationship-building client service activities. Additionally, we are helping advisors serve more plans across the country by reducing the complexity, friction and cost of serving this business and helping our advisors impact more American workers."

My 401(k) Assistant makes it easier for Cetera advisors to serve retirement plans through two distinct subscription-based service offerings:

• Reporting Assistant: Outsources the work of generating plan investment monitoring reports to the Cetera Retirement Plan Solutions team, enabling advisors to send customizable, professional performance reports to plan sponsor clients on an annual or quarterly basis. Advisors are able to select which data is included and can include their own logos in the reports, all without needing to learn or implement new technology tools.
• RFP Assistant: Leverages the Cetera Retirement Plan Solutions team to conduct proposal comparisons for up to five prospective recordkeeping partners. RFP Assistant provides advisors with reports that include comparisons of recordkeepers' services and features; plan cost summaries; investment mapping and investment proposal portfolio comparisons; and investment risk / return reviews.

Andy Bush, Partner & Financial Advisor of Horizon Financial Group, a Cetera-affiliated advisory practice in Baton Rouge, LA, said, "Cetera's My 401(k) Assistant provides me and my team with the tools we need to serve our existing retirement plan clients more efficiently and to aggressively pursue new retirement plan business going forward. Being able to outsource time-consuming tasks like comparing detailed RFPs from numerous recordkeepers has enabled me to spend my time on the things that I am uniquely gifted to do, such as being front and center with my plan sponsors to help them with more pressing issues or helping participants understand how their actions today will affect their future. My 401(k) Assistant shows yet again how Cetera is thinking ahead to help their advisors take their businesses to the next level."

About Cetera Financial Group^®
Cetera Financial Group ("Cetera") is a leading network of independent firms empowering the delivery of professional financial advice to individuals, families and company retirement plans across the country through trusted financial advisors and financial institutions. Cetera is the second-largest independent financial advisor network in the nation by number of advisors, as well as a leading service provider to the investment programs of banks and credit unions.

Through its multiple distinct firms, Cetera offers independent and institutions-based advisors the benefits of a large, established broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving advisors and institutions in a way that is customized to their needs and aspirations. Advisor support resources offered through Cetera include award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, practice management support and innovative technology. For more information, visit cetera.com.

*"Cetera Financial Group" refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors, Cetera Advisor Networks, Cetera Investment Services (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions), Cetera Financial Specialists, First Allied Securities and Summit Brokerage Services. All firms are members FINRA / SIPC.

Media Contacts:

Chris ClemensHaven Tower Group
424.652.6520 ext. 102
[email protected]

Joseph KuoHaven Tower Group
424.652.6520 ext. 101
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SOURCE Cetera Financial Group