Investment Product and Service Launches

Art by Jackson Epstein

J.P. Morgan AM Launches Lifetime Income Solution

J.P. Morgan Asset Management has launched SmartRetirement Plus.

SmartRetirement Plus will pair J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s retirement investment funds and spending intelligence with AIG Life & Retirement’s IncomEdge Control annuity. J.P. Morgan Asset Management expects to expand the suite of annuities offered by third-party insurers through SmartRetirement Plus in the future.

SmartRetirement Plus will leverage J.P. Morgan’s insights into spending and saving behavior of U.S. households to educate participants on how much income they will need in retirement and help them determine how to allocate balances accordingly. The solution will provide options to direct retirement savings from J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s retirement investment funds to a protected lifetime income product from AIG Life & Retirement, as well as options to help participants determine when to begin receiving this income.

Participants will also have the flexibility to make allocation decisions to account for their unique spending needs, all while maintaining access to their money. The firm says its new solution follows recent plan participant research from J.P. Morgan Asset Management, which reveals that 85% of participants would likely leave their balances in their plans post-retirement if there was an option to help generate monthly retirement income.

SmartRetirement Plus will be delivered through a digital experience that provides participants with information on how to convert retirement plan savings into retirement income. The participant journey will emphasize convenience and access to insights on typical spending and savings behavior to drive informed decisionmaking and simplify the user experience.

Allianz Life Partners with iJoin and IPX to Offer Guaranteed Income Option

Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America has partnered with LDI-MAP (doing business as iJoin) and IPX Retirement to be the first company to provide a guaranteed income option on the iJoin platform. Recordkeepers and advisers using iJoin will be able to offer the Allianz Lifetime Income+ Annuity with the Lifetime Income Benefit as a protected accumulation and decumulation option in 401(k)s and other defined contribution (DC) plans.

iJoin offers recordkeepers an experience to support the enrollment, education, financial planning and advice needs of the plans and participants they serve. The retirement planning advice is personalized for each participant based on income, savings, outside assets, location, age and many other factors. This partnership with Allianz Life will give iJoin the capability to incorporate an innovative guaranteed lifetime income solution into participants’ accounts through their retirement plan.

“The addition of Allianz Lifetime Income+ to the iJoin platform is a big step forward toward seamlessly integrating guaranteed lifetime income into defined contribution plans and retirement income planning,” says Matt Gray, head of employer markets, Allianz Life. “There are many risks in retirement and allowing plan participants to easily and efficiently mitigate those risks is important in addressing a critical financial planning need.”

As part of the Allianz Life–iJoin partnership, IPX Retirement’s technology seamlessly connects recordkeepers and, in turn plan participants, to Allianz Life via the iJoin platform.

Janus Henderson Launches Five Actively Managed Sustainable Exchange-Traded Funds

Janus Henderson Group plc has launched five actively managed sustainable exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for investors in the U.S.

Janus Henderson’s Sustainable ETF Solutions include three equity and two fixed income ETFs: U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF (SSPX); International Sustainable Equity ETF (SXUS); Net Zero Transition Resources ETF (JZRO); Sustainable Corporate Bond ETF (SCRD); and Sustainable & Impact Core Bond ETF (JIB).

Actively managed by four teams across three continents, the new ETFs draw on the firm’s 30-year heritage of sustainable investing and commitment to providing differentiated ETF solutions. This firm says the launch is a part of Janus Henderson’s efforts over the past two years to more centrally engage in a range of environmental, social and governance (ESG)-related efforts within the firm’s investment teams and client-facing professionals, as well as from a corporate perspective, and to grow its offering of actively managed ETFs.

The portfolio managers for the funds include Hamish Chamberlayne, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA); Aaron Scully, CFA; Daniel Sullivan; Darko Kuzmanovic; Tal Lomnitzer, CFA; Tim Gerrard; Michael Keough; Brad Smith; Greg Wilensky, CFA; and Nick Childs, CFA.

“The launch of this comprehensive suite of sustainable ETFs is designed to showcase Janus Henderson’s intention to help investors embrace sustainability in an authentic way, without sacrificing a commitment to robust investment results. These ETFs also represent the intersection of two very significant growth opportunities for Janus Henderson, our ETF franchise and the surge in client demand for robust ESG solutions,” says Nick Cherney, head of exchange-traded products at Janus Henderson.

Two Firms Adopt ProNvest’s Managed Account Services

ProNvest, a national provider of customized managed account services, has announced that Spectrum Pension Consultants and GROUPIRA have made ProNvest available on their retirement platforms. Both firms will now have access to ProNvest’s full suite of participant-based fiduciary solutions, including customized and personalized investment models, enrollment support, retirement education and financial wellness assistance.

“We are looking forward to introducing ProNvest to our adviser partners, GROUPIRA rollovers and retirement plan clients,” said Yannis Koumantaros, managing director and chief financial officer at Spectrum Pension Consultants. “Their robust technology coupled with a hands-on approach will be valuable in our continued focus on partnering with the independent advisory firm.”

“We are excited about our partnership with Spectrum and GROUPIRA to deliver a comprehensive managed account solution,” said Ross Brown, vice president of ProNvest. “We’re confident that ProNvest’s retirement planning technology, high-touch participant services and professional investment management will help both Spectrum and GROUPIRA further enhance the value they bring to plan participants, plan sponsors and advisers that they serve.”