Company Launches RetireReady Tracker
Standard Retirement Services is offering a new tool for advisors that allows them to determine whether the workforces of their employer clients are saving enough for retirement. 



The Standard’s RetireReady Tracker generates reports that include a retirement plan’s RetireReady Score, which estimates the average level of pre-retirement income that employees are on track to replace in retirement. The results are broken down by age and salary ranges.

“Helping employees achieve retirement readiness can have a significantly positive effect on both employee morale and an organization’s bottom line,” said Dan Hall, vice president of retirement plan sales at The Standard. “RetireReady Tracker can help generate a strategic discussion around plan design, including appropriate solutions to help improve employee retirement readiness. Once implemented, the report can help track the progress of these solutions over time.”



The reports provide information that can help employers design better plans with features that might include automatic enrollment or automatic escalation. Data in the reports can also help employers identify opportunities for targeted education efforts. 



“RetireReady Tracker provides advisors with a tangible way to grow the consultative arm of their practice,” said Hall. “It will help relieve their administrative burdens, reduce their fiduciary risk and save them money in the long run.”


HighTower Offers MAP To Advisors
Chicago-based HighTower is offering its advisors the Mercer Advisor Portal (MAP), a wealth management database that offers research on investment strategies. The portal offers the findings of more than 100 researchers around the globe on more than 25,000 strategies.

“The Mercer Advisor Portal offers advisors an innovative alternative to traditional portfolio modeling approaches that rely primarily on quantitative analysis,” says Matthias Paul Kuhlmey, a partner, managing director and head of global investment solutions at HighTower.

Mesirow Offers Fiduciary Service
Mesirow Financial’s Investment Strategies group has launched a fiduciary service program for retirement plan sponsors and advisors.

Mesirow provides a list of approved investment options allowing retirement plan sponsors and advisors to build a custom investment lineup, while mitigating their fiduciary risk. Under the Erisa Section 3(38) service, Mesirow offers three investment lineups suitable for specific plan participants and assumes full discretion for selecting, monitoring and replacing investment options. Mesirow’s program offers guidance, fee transparency and fiduciary support.

iShares Launches Colombia Capped ETF
BlackRock has launched the iShares MSCI Colombia Capped ETF. According to the World Bank, there is an increasing amount of foreign investment in Colombia because of the country’s strong fiscal management, its gradually declining debt, its positive trading ties with the world and its business-friendly economic policies focused on deregulation.

“Colombia has been referred to as the ‘New Brazil,’” says Patrick Dunne, head of iShares Global Markets and Investments at BlackRock.
“Institutional and retail investors now have an efficient means to access one of the world’s most exciting economies, whether implementing a short-term tactical strategy or building a long-term diversified global portfolio.”

Gemini Expands Online Resources
Gemini Fund Services has created a Web site that offers research and analysis to help investment managers bring new start-up funds to market.
The educational materials on the Web site include white papers, analysis and instruction guides discussing topics such as the differences between mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, how to create a managed futures fund and how to launch a mutual fund on an insurance platform.

“As the financial regulatory environment continues to evolve, Gemini is committed to providing the tools and support that strengthen fund managers and position them to grow their assets under management,” says Andrew Rogers, chief executive officer at Gemini.

Partnership Offers Sharia-Compliant Portfolios
Accretive Wealth Management has partnered with Aperio Group to offer separately managed Sharia-compliant portfolios for investors who wish to see Islamic values reflected in their investments.

Companies included in the Islamic Values portfolio must first pass exclusionary screens to ensure they do not derive 5% or more of their cumulative revenue from alcohol, tobacco, pork products, financial services, the defense industry or weapons, gambling or casinos, music, hotels, cinema or adult entertainment. The next screen eliminates companies that derive significant income from interest or that have excessive leverage. For clients who are very risk-averse, additional quality and volatility screens can be added.