Let s make a plan All the tools you need to offer the best solutions to your clients
A partner you can trust Introduce your clients to the largest independent service provider. 1.75 million eligible retirement plan participants 3.1 + million 529 college savings accounts administered 1.4 + million IRAs administered Over the last three decades, we ve helped financial professionals bring retirement solutions to millions of Americans. Our award-winning service culture, open-architecture platform, and industry-leading expertise give you the freedom to build a plan that you can offer to your clients with confidence. As the largest independent service provider in this industry, we offer unparalleled choices and a commitment to your success. With us, no matter what your client may need, you ll always have a plan. 40 k+ retirement plans $$$ Servicing retirement plans ranging from start-ups to $1 billion in plan assets. k+ 14investment options $ 50 assets* billion in college savings billion in retirement $ 47 assets* Years of experience 30 + Top DC plan provider by 5plan count** *12/31/2013 **<$10 million market. Source: The Cerulli Report: Retirement Markets 2013 3
We ve got virtually everything you need to grow your business the way you want. Beyond a wide range of plan design options and product solutions, we offer a suite of practice management and business support solutions. Business support The support you need to grow your business We ll help you create winning proposals Need help with a proposal? Our retirement specialists can help you create one that s just right for your client. What s more, one of our regional vice presidents can also join you for the meeting. With Ascensus, you have a whole team of highly qualified professionals by your side. Get paid on your own terms No matter how you charge for your services, whether based on assets, fee for service, or through commissions, we have you covered. Add specialized enrollment services to your capabilities Drive higher participation in your plans with our regional education specialists. With years of experience in communicating benefits, our team makes it easy for potential participants to understand the details of the plan. Our team can help you with: Onsite enrollment meetings Web-based enrollment meetings Multilingual/translation services A program that is as committed as you are. Our Elite Advisor program gives you additional benefits designed to help you manage your book of business. In addition to a team of dedicated business development consultants, this program offers the service and support you need to take your business to the next level. To find out more about this program, please contact your Ascensus Regional Vice President. 5
Ascensus Full Service Ascensus TPA Recordkeeping Only Ascensus Consulting Plan Design & Compliance Investments Plan Design & Compliance Investments Plan Design & Compliance Investments Employee Employer Employee Employer Employee Employer Products Three customizable product platforms to choose from All backed by best-in-class service Overview Ascensus Full Service offers virtually all the services you Ascensus TPA Recordkeeping Only is Combining plan design and compliance, this and your clients need to specifically designed for specialized solution lets manage a retirement plan. plans who wish to work you craft retirement plans This integrated solution with a local TPA. This that are as unique as allows Ascensus to bring solution lets the TPA your clients needs. With all the key components of focus on plan design Ascensus Consulting, you a retirement plan together and compliance, while can create and manage through a single service we handle the plan s defined contribution and team. recordkeeping defined benefit plans, and investments. including cash balance and combination plans. Service platform Full Service Recordkeeping Only Compliance Only Pricing models Supports fee- and commission-based advisor compensation models Owner-only plans In addition to the corporate market solutions above, Ascensus also provides solutions for your clients in business for themselves. Whether you need a full-service solution on our platform or need us for compliance and reporting for assets you manage separately, we have the solution for you. 7
Your plan design and compliance headquarters The broad range of our plan design offerings is matched only by the reputation and scale of our ERISA practice so you have a comprehensive, single-stop resource for all your plan-related technical needs. Helping America invest for retirement We define open-architecture in every sense of the term, bringing you thousands of investment options and various investment types to choose from. Achieving success through plan design We understand no two clients or plans are alike. With over 40 highly experienced ERISA professionals on our team, we can help you design the plan that best aligns with your client s goals. Our team of experts can help your plans conform to changing regulations. Ensuring your clients stay on track Designing a plan is only the first step. Keeping your client on course and helping them manage their goals is essential. We offer all the compliance services your clients may need and more. This includes: Defined contribution, defined benefit, and more Why limit your options? With our plan design services, you can provide highly customized plans to let your clients save more for their retirement while also helping their employees. The following list covers some of the plan design solutions we offer: Plan types Defined benefit Defined contribution Cash balance Plan design features Automatic enrollment Automatic deferral increase Qualified default investments Open architecture that s open to your clients needs Our platform gives you virtually unlimited options with no proprietary requirements some of the features that distinguish our solutions include: Access to over 250 fund families, covering more than 14,000 funds ETFs Plan-level asset allocation models Collective trust investments Company stock Trust and custody services Through our trust company, we offer comprehensive and integrated trustee and custodial services to safe keep plan assets, manage contributions and distributions, and handle tax reporting. Asset allocation models Our system lets you help employees looking for a simple solution to their investment needs. You can create plan-level models from the plan s investments that vary by risk so employees remain committed to an investment program. Models can be set up to rebalance automatically and you can maintain full control over how they are managed. Compliance testing Participant re-enrollment Form 5500 preparation Year-end audit package Completed participant fee disclosure template Required plan notices The Ascensus investment fiduciary program Through a partnership with Mesirow Financial, we offer a flexible program that allows you to maintain the level of investment control you want, while providing an additional layer of protection for your clients. 3(21) solution You manage your client s investment program from a pre-selected elite list of funds or suggested fund lineups. 3(38) solution Offering the most protection for your client, you can pick from suggested fund lineups and Mesirow takes it from there. 8 9
Employee services focused on retirement readiness We offer the resources plan participants need to set and manage their retirement goals, learn about savings, and get the most out of their plan. Award-winning employer services With Ascensus, your clients will have a plan that offers top-rated service. Online tools for anytimeanywhere plan access Our newly redesigned retirement website lets employees keep track of their retirement goals from their desktops and other mobile devices so they can access and manage their plan at their convenience. Our participant website allows them to: Enroll in the plan Use our retirement calculator to set individual retirement goals Process transactions and view account activity Set up automatic account rebalancing Calculate their personal rate of return Access fund information Learn about investing basics Education and advice they can count on Ascensus has partnered with Morningstar Associates to offer employees access to a wealth of education and to provide them the guidance or advice they need to manage their account. Tools available from Morningstar Learning Station access to calculators and helpful education Managed by You guidance solution Managed by Morningstar managed account solution The tools to drive plan success We offer several educational pieces to help employees enroll in plans and prepare for retirement. We also offer targeted communications to improve engagement, along with a suite of customizable materials available in English and Spanish: Posters Flyers Payroll stuffers We ll keep them current The employer website offers a quarterly newsletter and custom reports to help your clients stay on top of their plans. Your clients can use these reports to identify trends, assess performance, and evaluate the plan s investment options. Our on-demand and scheduled reporting capabilities give you real-time access to participant and plan information, including: We ll take care of the details In addition to all the resources, our team is available to help your clients with: Payroll processing Loan processing Census data updates There with them every day We re here to help your clients manage their plan. Our employer service team has won accolades from independent surveys for timely, high-quality service and dependable support. Our account executives can help your clients: Manage, coordinate, and monitor daily administrative activities Deliver plan-related communications Address any questions and provide quick resolutions Quarterly fiduciary report Payroll reports Interim compliance testing Participant loan activity 10 11
We received top rankings* in the Cogent Research Retirement Planscape 2013 study. The study reviews plan sponsors perceptions of service and support from the top 36 leading plan providers. Ascensus ranked first place in six categories: Our awards Great client service rarely goes unrecognized # Best-in-class sponsor Best-in-class participant Transparency 1 # service and support 1 # service and support 1 of fees # Good value Easy to do Precise and timely 1 # for money 1 # business with 1 recordkeeping services Ascensus ranked among the top ten in all nine categories: # Leader in the defined Provider that exemplifies 2 # contribution industry 4 # financial stability 9 Provider with strong brand recognition among participants *For plans <$5 million 13
More services to help you with more opportunities Everything we do is about helping financial professionals like you meet the service needs of your clients. That s why our capabilities extend beyond the retirement plan products. We offer one of the most comprehensive suite of advisor-focused solutions to help you manage and grow your retirement and benefits business. Some other offerings include: Health benefits enrollment meetings College savings plans Trust services 200 Dryden Road Dresher, PA 19025 Toll Free: 800-345-6363 Phone: 215-648-8000 Fax: 215-648-4888 ascensus.com
Because our business is helping you grow yours 200 Dryden Road Dresher, PA 19025 Toll Free: 800-345-6363 Phone: 215-648-8000 Fax: 215-648-4888 ascensus.com Ascensus provides administrative and recordkeeping services and is not a broker-dealer or an investment advisor. Ascensus and the Ascensus logo are registered trademarks of Ascensus, Inc. Morningstar Retirement Manager SM is offered by and is the property of Morningstar Associates, LLC, a registered investment advisor and wholly owned subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc. The Morningstar name and logo are registered marks of Morningstar, Inc. Investment advice generated by Retirement Manager is based on information provided and limited to the investment options available in the defined contribution plan. Projections and other information regarding the likelihood of various retirement income and/or investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature,do not reflect actual results, and are not guarantees of future results. Results may vary with each use and over time. Morningstar Associates and its affiliates are not related to Ascensus and its affiliates. Copyright 2014 Ascensus, Inc. All rights reserved. ASCS-BRC-00137 (03/14)