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Products June 6, 2014
Calif. RIA Offers Web-Based Planning Tools
Retirement plan sponsors and advisers have a new solution available from Allovest for plan participants who lack access to advice.
Reported by Jill Cornfield
Allovest, a registered independent investment adviser (RIA) in Huntington Beach, California, offers affordable online retirement planning services and professional investment advice to help individuals set and reach retirement goals. The service is available for $29.95, a smaller fee than is typical for professional financial services, and can be used by individuals who do not meet minimum account balance requirements to work with a financial adviser.
The retirement puzzle needs three keys, says Maria Kutscher, founder and CEO of Allovest: planning, learning and investing. But even before getting advice, Kutscher says, people need a realistic plan. The Allovest site aims to help them create one. The first step is the free tool, and users must complete the steps before getting advice. This helps them understand where they are.
“There aren’t enough realistic tools out there,” Kutscher tells PLANADVISER, and options through the existing tools are often limited, with many tools simply encouraging an investor to increase contributions. Allovest’s five levels offer five ways to move the bar, she explains, to try to find the best solution for a specific situation. For instance, she says, optional part-time income might be a tactic that works for some people.
“Most people simply don’t have the time, interest or knowledge to do the necessary research and analysis for their retirement plan,” Kutscher says. “Allovest makes the process easy and affordable.” Kutscher developed the Allovest SmartFund Filter, a tool available to individual investors, employers and retirement plan consultants. The tool screens more than 28,000 funds on fees, expenses, risk, performance, manager tenure and overall diversification.
Kutscher says her firm’s mission is to set a new standard of professionalism, education and convenience in retirement investing. She has worked with individual investors for more than 20 years and specializes in developing tools and educational content for goal-based asset allocation, building diversified portfolios, retirement readiness and managing portfolio risk. More information is available on her website.