CERITY PARTNERS RETIREMENT PLAN ADVISORS LLC


Firm Description and Principal Ownership RPA is an SEC registered investment adviser providing pension consulting and investment management services to defined benefit and defined contribution plans. RPA works closely with the plan sponsors and other plan fiduciaries, regarding plan design, investment options, selection of the plan administrator and record keeper, enrollment and educational services for plan participants, and other services based upon our analysis of the particular needs of the plan. Thereafter, RPA shall periodically conduct a review of the plan, the investment options offered by the plan to its participants, the model portfolios constructed for the plan, and any other items the plan sponsors have agreed to in the RPA services agreement. RPA is an SEC-registered investment advisor wholly owned by Cerity Partners LLC (“Cerity Partners”). Cerity Partners is controlled by Cerity Partners Equity Holding LLC, a subsidiary of Cerity Partners Holdings LLC, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lightyear Fund IV AIV-1, L.P. (“LY Fund IV”), an investment fund advised by an affiliate of Lightyear Capital LLC (“Lightyear”), a registered investment adviser. Further information regarding Lightyear is set forth in its Form ADV filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Standard Services RPA offers the following services: ERISA Non-Fiduciary Services

Plan Design Consulting: RPA will perform a review of the Plan’s existing arrangements and will provide recommendations that are designed to assist in identifying any limitations of existing and/or proposed Plan arrangements as well as recommendations to assist the a client in its decision to make additional services available through the Plan.

Investment Policy Statement: RPA will assist the client in developing a formal, written Investment Policy Statement (“IPS”) or it may review and recommend amendments to the client relating to the existing IPS. The IPS may contain the standards and processes for selecting and monitoring Plan investments, and will set forth the number of general investment options and asset class categories to be offered to Plan participants with a goal of providing a menu of investments that will allow for the creation of well-diversified portfolios through a mix of asset class exposures. The IPS is subject to the final approval of client, and RPA does not guarantee that the client will achieve the investment objectives in the IPS. In providing IPS services, RPA will not render any investment advice and will not be acting as an ERISA fiduciary. Financial Wellness Coaching: RPA will conduct periodic group enrollment and education meetings with Plan participants through its team of salaried (non-commission) retirement consultants. The purpose of the meetings is to increase retirement plan participation among employees and to assist Plan participants in making informed decisions about contribution amounts, investment allocations and distributions. Only standardized investment education materials, which are consistent with “investment education” as that term is defined in Department of Labor Interpretative Bulletin 96-1, will be used in connection with providing Financial Wellness Coaching. Such information may include information about the benefits of Plan participation, investment objectives of Plan investment options, general financial and investment information, asset allocation portfolios of hypothetical individuals with different time horizons and risk profiles and interactive investment materials such as questionnaires to assess the impact of different allocations on retirement income. RPA may also provide interactive investment materials to assist participants in assessing their future retirement income needs. In providing Financial Wellness Coaching services, RPA will not provide advice concerning the appropriateness of any individual investment option for a particular participant or beneficiary under the plan and will not be acting as an ERISA fiduciary in rendering, unless the client elects “Participant Advice” Services as described below.

Administrative Support: RPA will make its representatives available to the Client to educate the Client and its employees about the Plan’s features, including any web-based support offered by RPA or other service providers.

ERISA Fiduciary Services

Investment Recommendations & Performance Monitoring: Unless the client elects RPA’s Fiduciary Protection Program as described below, RPA will perform the following nondiscretionary service as an ERISA fiduciary. RPA will review the investment options available through the Plan and will provide recommendations to the client to assist in selecting the “core” investments to be offered to Plan participants, including the Plan’s QDIAs, if applicable, that meet the criteria set forth in the Plan’s IPS. RPA will provide reports on a regular basis that are designed to assist the client in monitoring the core investment options and may provide recommendations to assist the client in removing and replacing investments that no longer meet the IPS criteria. Participant Advice: RPA will meet with Plan participants that seek to engage RPA for Participant Advice services to gather information concerning their retirement investments, time horizon, risk tolerance and investment goals. RPA will review the information and provide individualized investment advice that may include a recommendation to invest in a particular model portfolio or percentages to be allocated among a number of the Plan’s core investment options. RPA will not provide recommendations on investments held outside of the plan, and the Plan participant retains the sole responsibility to implement the recommendations. RPA does not guarantee that it will achieve the Plan participants’ investment objectives. Additional Services - Fiduciary Services ERISA Fiduciary Services: Investment Management Services: RPA shall have discretionary investment authority to direct the core investments offered to Plan participants in a manner that is consistent with the criteria set forth in the Plan’s IPS. Such authority will include that necessary to select, monitor, remove, and replace all investment alternatives that constitute the core investment menu. In the event that RPA provides instructions directly to the plan’s record keeper or third-party administrator with regard to the removal, or replacement of investments. In rendering Investment Management Services, RPA will act as an ERISA fiduciary and will serve as an investment manager as defined in Section 3(38) of ERISA. RPA shall retain final decision-making authority with regard to all discretionary fiduciary services, and the Plan fiduciaries remain responsible for demonstrating that RPA was prudently selected and monitored.

ERISA Non-Fiduciary Services:

Review of Fiduciary Liability Insurance Coverage: RPA will work with qualified insurance professionals to review client’s fiduciary liability coverage. RPA may assist the Client in obtaining additional or replacement insurance if necessary.

Monitoring of Qualified Fiduciary: The Client is responsible as a Plan fiduciary for selection of RPA as a Plan fiduciary, and for monitoring the performance of RPA. To facilitate this responsibility, RPA will provide Client with a structure for the annual review and monitoring of the RPA as a Plan fiduciary.

Customization RPA tailors all services to the individual parameters and restrictions of each Retirement Plan, the plan documents and the instructions of the plan sponsors. Assets Under Management As of December 31, 2019, RPA has assets under management totaling $11,994,871,368. Of that total, $1,175,569,537 is managed on a discretionary basis and $10,769,301,831 is managed on a non-discretionary basis. The parent company of RPA, Cerity Partners and its subsidiaries have aggregate assets under advisement of $28,201,119,685 as of December 31, 2019. please register to get more info

Open Brochure from SEC website
Assets
Pooled Investment Vehicles
Discretionary $1,175,569,537
Non-Discretionary $10,769,301,831
Registered Web Sites

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