Adviser Product Partnerships

Lincoln, BPAS Partner On Defined Benefit Offering

 Lincoln Financial Group and Benefit Plans Administrative Services Inc. announced a strategic partnership to deliver an integrated defined benefit plan solution, PensionEase, to Lincoln Financial’s defined contribution clients who also sponsor a DB plan.

Through the partnership, BPAS will provide Lincoln Financial clients with full DB administration, including recordkeeping, a customized web portal and participant-direct services. PensionEase is designed to give plan sponsors and their participants a seamless experience between DB and DC plans.

“This partnership builds on the flexible, easy-to-use solutions that both firms offer to administer retirement plans, as we work to help Americans along every step of their retirement journey,” said Matt Condos, senior vice president of retirement plan services product for Lincoln Financial Group.

The partnership gives Lincoln clients with both DC and DB plans a single sign-on across platforms, as well as additional actuarial, consulting, trust/custody and benefit payer solutions, according to the Radnor, Pennsylvania-based Lincoln.

Syracuse, New York-based BPAS provides retirement plans, benefit plans, fund administration and institutional trust services.

UNest, Wealth Team Up to Provide Financial, Estate Planning Tools

UNest, which provides investment accounts that parents can set up for the kids, is partnering with Wealth, a digital estate planning platform, to give users access to both platforms for financial planning and advice.

UNest customers get an exclusive discount on Wealth’s suite of modern estate planning products, as well as a $25 reward deposited in their UNest investment account, when they purchase a will or trust from Wealth, according to the North Hollywood, California-based UNest.

“For our customers, estate planning is a very logical next step as they look to protect their family and their assets,” said Ksenia Yudina, founder and CEO of UNest.

Through the Unest app, parents manage an adviser-guided portfolio for kids that can include both traditional exchange-traded fund investments, as well as selected cryptocurrencies. Parents can also invest in green funds; invite friends and family to contribute to their child’s account; and earn rewards from more than 150 brands, including Nike, DoorDash, Haven Life and Disney+, according to the firm.

Welton, iCapital Offer Alternative Investment Platform

Welton Investment Partners LLC, an alternative investment manager, is partnering with financial technology platform iCapital, also known as Institutional Capital Network Inc.

The partnership gives wealth managers access to Welton’s alternative investment capabilities and strategies through iCapital’s investment platform, including

brokerage houses, registered investment advisers, private banks and family offices.

The platform digitizes the subscription, administration, operational and reporting processes for investing in alternatives, with the goal of creating more opportunities for wealth managers and their clients to efficiently access the investments.

“Private investors are looking for innovative ways to broaden their portfolios beyond the traditional 60/40 mix of stocks and bonds,” said William Marr, a senior managing director with Welton Investment Partners. “Historically, these strategies were only available to institutional investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies. Through our partnership with iCapital, we are helping to democratize the investment playing field so retail investors can access multi-asset, multi-strategy programs.”