Investment Fiduciary Services Recordkeeping and Administration Plan Document and Compliance Testing Participant Education

Services Provided by the Advantage Plan Investment Consultant

Fiduciary Support

In general, a plan fiduciary is a person or entity that exercises discretion in administering and managing a plan or controlling the plan’s assets, to the extent of that discretion or control. The Advantage Plan investment consultant fully supports the Plan Sponsor with the following fiduciary activities:

Investment Fiduciary Support Services

  • Fund Selection
  • Fund Monitoring
  • Periodic Analysis
  • Built-in Investment Policy Statement

Investment Policy Statement (IPS)

  • Overall Investment Objectives
  • Core Menu Construction
  • Participant Retirement Plan Investment Education
  • Selection/Retention Criteria for Investment Options
  • Monitoring of Investment Options
  • Duties & Responsibilities

Stringent Fund Monitoring

If any fund does not meet the IPS monitoring requirements, a replacement will be selected by the Advantage Plan investment consultant. Notification regarding the fund and its’ replacement will be provided to the Plan Sponsor and/or the Plan Sponsor’s chosen financial professional. If the plan elects to choose an alternate fund instead of the newly added fund, they may do so by choosing from the Advantage Plan fund list.

Fund Lineup

Pre-selected, high quality investment options selected by the Advantage Plan investment consultant based solely on investment merit

  • No proprietary product requirements
  • No hidden/undisclosed relationships with fund companies
  • Access to 20+ investment companies
  • Core Advantage Plan menu rooted in institutional approach and academic research
  • Low correlation between asset classes
  • Proven management, processes and long-term results for each option
  • Low cost
  • Investment option mapping*
  • Periodic fund manager review**

*If applicable, can be performed by the Advantage Plan investment consultant for an additional fee.
**Periodic analysis of each product is performed on a 6, 9 or 12 month cycle.

Investment Analysis & Reporting

Periodic Monitoring:

  • Expense review
  • Benchmark & peer group performance analysis
  • Review of previous analysis/issues
  • Money manager interviews
  • Written product assessment
  • Proprietary composite scoring based on 12 factors
  • Index and peer group determination
  • Style analysis
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Quarterly Quantitative Analysis:

  • Performance vs. benchmark
  • Performance vs. peer group
  • Portfolio characteristics
  • Risk comparison to index
  • Portfolio information
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Investment Option Flexibility

  • Mutual funds that include or exclude Rule 12b-1 fees
  • Target date increments of either 5 or 10 years with the option to designate as a QDIA (Qualified Default Investment Alternative)
  • FDIC-Insured Money Market Deposit Account or Registered Money Market Mutual Fund
  • Utilize Advantage Plan fund lineup or select replacement from the Advantage Plan fund list
  • In addition to a series of target date funds, flexibility to choose from as few as 7 investment options to as many as 14
  • Investment options from 20+ fund families
  • Enhanced diversification from exposure to mutual funds in alternative asset classes including: International Fixed Income, Emerging Markets Equity and Real Estate Investment Trusts
  • Option to map all existing participant balances and future contributions to target date funds or to specific investment options based on instructions from the Plan Sponsor, its designated financial professional or the Advantage Plan investment consultant
  • Access to a third-party self-directed brokerage account
  • Ability to change fund lineup at any time so long as the requested fund is on the Advantage Plan fund list

Quarterly Webinar

Webinars, outlining current market conditions, upcoming changes to the current Advantage Plan fund list and other relevant topics of discussion, will be held on a quarterly basis.

Strategies, LLC, plan fiduciary

Strategies, LLC is the investment consultant for the Advantage Plan and performs certain fiduciary support services, including fund monitoring and analysis. Strategies, LLC is an independent, institutional investment consulting and management firm based in Denver, CO. It is a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Strategies, LLC offers no proprietary products. The Advantage Plan fund menu was created and ongoing monitoring is performed by Strategies, LLC. The Advantage Plan fund menu has been established utilizing a low cost, institutional approach with enhanced diversification (multiple asset classes and styles), resulting in low correlation between asset classes and reduced overlap among options. Each plan must separately engage Strategies, LLC to provide advisory services in connection with the Advantage Plan. Strategies, LLC is not an affiliate, agent or delegate of Lincoln Trust Company. Lincoln Trust Company provides administrative, directed trustee and/or custodial services to qualified retirement plans and is not a fiduciary within the meaning of ERISA or any state law respect to the plan. Lincoln Trust Company specifically does not exercise investment discretion or provide investment advice or investment advisory services to the employer, plan administrator, plan participants or any other party. In addition, Lincoln Trust Company shall not have any discretion control or authority with respect to any assets of the plan, including the investment or disposition thereof. Neither Lincoln Trust Company nor Strategies, LLC receives compensation from the other party for services provided pursuant to the Advantage Plan.