Cetera Financial Group, a network of independent broker-dealer firms, has launched its new retirement plan solutions platform for financial advisors, Cetera announced Tuesday.
The new platform demonstrates Cetera’s commitment to helping its financial advisors with their retirement plan businesses, Cetera says.
Included in the new program is Cetera’s Guided Retirement Solutions web portal that is now available to its broker-dealers. Cetera also will continue to develop its retirement plan data aggregation and practice management technology that has been created through its partnership with Envestnet. In addition, the company launched Cetera Retirement Plan Specialists, an ERISA plan consulting firm, as well as a dedicated Third Party Administrator (TPA).
“Winning and retaining retirement plan business requires specialized knowledge, skills and technology, especially with significant regulatory changes right around the corner,” says Brett Harrison, executive vice president for advisor growth at Cetera Financial Group and CEO of Cetera Advisors.
“Cetera Financial Group’s expanded retirement plan solutions platform positions our advisors to succeed in capturing these opportunities by providing them with the tools, training, and services they need to build or strengthen their retirement plan practices, including extensive support for advisors who function as fiduciaries or will be transitioning to the fiduciary model,” he adds.
The new web portal provides retirement plan-focused advisors with marketing materials, training, white papers and other tools to help them identify, win and service retirement plan clients, Cetera says. The portal walks advisors through the key areas of retirement planning: education, marketing, prospecting, closing business and service and retention
Elsewhere, Cetera also has expanded its retirement practice consulting team by hiring industry veterans Ruben Ramirez as manager of the retirement practice consulting team and George Barker as retirement plan partner relations manager. The retirement practice consulting team works with Cetera advisors to help them execute strategic game plans for expanding their retirement plan businesses, and provides expertise on best practices and product information.