Pershing Launches Retirement Plan Network to Help Advisors Establish and Grow Business in the $6.6 Trillion Defined Contribution Market

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Jan. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Pershing LLC, a BNY Mellon company, today announced the rollout of its Retirement Plan Network, a new solution to help broker-dealers, investment advisors and registered investment advisors (RIAs) grow their retirement plan business. Pershing's Retirement Plan Network is an open-architecture platform that allows advisors to connect to independent recordkeepers, hold assets in custody, and to leverage an integrated suite of investment products, retirement plan tools and practice management solutions. Pershing's Retirement Plan Network will be rolled out through the first quarter of 2015.

"As one of the largest custodians of individual retirement account (IRA) assets[i], the retirement market is important to Pershing and our clients," said Rob Cirrotti, head of retirement solutions at Pershing. "The defined contribution system, however, continues to be the primary retirement savings vehicle for Americans and advisors are playing an increasingly important role in driving better retirement outcomes.  Pershing's Retirement Plan Network is a natural extension of the solutions we offer to address the needs of the retirement market."

The retirement plan market continues to grow, with defined contribution (DC) assets expected to increase 5 to 6 percent per year through 2019.[ii] As of the third quarter of 2014, Americans held $6.6 trillion in DC retirement plans, including 401(k) assets.[iii] Additionally, DC plan rollovers are fueling the growth of IRA assets, which are expected to exceed $11.5 trillion by the end of the decade.[iv] Despite the increase of 401(k) plans and other DC assets, many American households are not adequately prepared for retirement, according to data from the Federal Reserve.[v]

"The growth of DC plans and IRAs make the retirement market an attractive space for advisors and presents them with an opportunity to help meet plan sponsors' need for better guidance in preparing their plan participants for retirement," said Cirrotti. "In our conversations with clients, we recognized their desire for assistance with their retirement plan business, so we developed the Retirement Plan Network in response."

In addition to helping clients establish or expand their retirement plan business, Pershing's Retirement Plan Network is designed to help advisors address the need for greater transparency and oversight of their retirement business. What differentiates Pershing's solution in the market is that it is a conflict-free custody solution integrated into a single platform on which advisors can serve the needs of retirement plan sponsors and individual investors.

Through the Retirement Plan Network, advisors have access to a host of resources that will enhance their service for retirement plans:

• Retirement Plan Network will enable advisors to access and leverage deep integration of independent recordkeepers through NetX360^®, Pershing's technology platform. Currently, recordkeepers include Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C.; Aspire Financial Service; Benefit Consultants Group; DailyAccess Corporation; July Business Services; and Sentinel Benefits & Financial Group. The network will expand extensively over time to include additional regional and national recordkeepers.
• An open-architecture investment platform that will have a highly integrated management capability for advisors to manage investment models or access third-party asset managers. Pershing's Retirement Plan Network's menu of investment choices features mutual funds, stable value funds and exchange-traded funds through managed models.
• Through NetX360, advisors will have a single point of access for both individual and retirement plan businesses that will offer a range of support, including practice management and an integrated set of retirement plan tools and solutions that will enable advisors to create proposals, view plan investments, conduct investment reviews, facilitate IRA rollovers, select recordkeepers and access plan sponsor and participant education materials.

"As a leading service provider to advisors, we are well positioned to support the large number of advisors who sell and service retirement plans," said Cirrotti.  "We are excited to expand our solutions to help them efficiently grow their retirement plan practice and drive better retirement outcomes for plan sponsors and their plan participants."

For more information about Pershing's Retirement Plan Network, please visit http://www.pershing.com/media/rev-up-your-retirement-business-with-pershings-retirement-plan-network.pdf.

About Pershing

Pershing and its affiliates provide global financial business solutions to approximately 1,600 financial organizations, broker-dealers, registered investment advisory firms, advisors, fund managers and asset managers who represent over 5.6 million active accounts. Located in 23 offices worldwide, Pershing delivers dependable operational support, robust trading services, flexible technology, an expansive array of investment solutions, practice management support and service excellence. Pershing affiliates are members of every major U.S. securities exchange, and its international affiliates are members of the Deutsche Borse, Australian Stock Exchange, Irish Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange. Pershing LLC (member FINRA/NYSE/SIPC) is a BNY Mellon company. Additional information is available on pershing.com, or follow us on Twitter @Pershing.

About BNY Mellon

BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment management and investment services in 35 countries and more than 100 markets. As of Sept. 30, 2014, BNY Mellon had $28.3 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.6 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation BK. www.bnymellon.com, or follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon

Contact:
Paul Patella  
+1 201 413 3609  
paul.patella@pershing.com

[i] Cerulli Associates, Retirement Markets 2014: Sizing Opportunities in Private and Public Retirement Plans

[ii] Cerulli Associates, Retirement Markets 2014: Sizing Opportunities in Private and Public Retirement Plans

[iii] Investment Company Institute, Retirement Assets Total $24.2 Trillion in Third Quarter 2014

[iv] Cerulli Associates, Retirement Markets 2014: Sizing Opportunities in Private and Public Retirement Plans

[v] Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve  – Report on the Economic Well-being of US Households in 2013

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SOURCE BNY Mellon