An Independent Practice
Duties of Loyalty and Care
Alignment Financial Group is a fee-based, independent financial advisory practice that serves as a fiduciary for clients. By both our own convictions and by law, all actions are carried out for the advantage of the beneficiary. To us, earning client trust has become a more critical component of the selection process. That is especially true for business owners and plan administrators who are themselves beholden as fiduciaries to others. Although investors are constantly warned that past performance is no guarantee of future results, they can struggle to find alternative measures of evaluation upon which to base their selection. Earning trust is not simply a matter of recent, superior performance, dazzling presentations, or personal relationships—it is a matter of organizational integrity and process driven by prudent practices.
The management of retirement plans is not an easy task, even for trained investment professionals; and it is a nearly impossible task for lay persons who serve as trustees and investment committee members of retirement plans, foundations, and trusts. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) permits plan sponsors, and in fact requires them, to seek help when necessary in the form of an investment manager. ERISA Section 402(c)(3) expressly authorizes named fiduciaries such as the plan sponsor to engage investment managers as independent fiduciaries. Investment management is a specialized industry. As such, it is essential that key decision-makers for plan investments have experience with the financial services industry. They must understand and be able to plan for the risks of investing other people's money. In addition, they also need a structured process in place for the retirement plan to monitor and document their actions.
Our dedicated team, with the combined experiences of working at some of the most respected financial institutions in the world, is suited to work with you to educate employees and help them prepare for retirement. We are committed to building long term relationships with a select number of clients and only after we thoroughly understand your plan's situation, obligations, and aspirations does our consulting process begin.