Lincoln Financial Group Enhances Lincoln Director Retirement Plan Program for Small Business Clients

RADNOR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Lincoln Financial Group's LNC Retirement Plan Services business announced industry-leading enhancements to its Lincoln Director^SM employer-sponsored retirement plan program for small business clients, including a broad investment universe of revenue-neutral funds and a pricing structure that is flexible, simple and transparent. The Lincoln Director program is a retirement solution for advisor and third party administrator (TPA)-serviced plan sponsors focused on 401(k) plans with assets of up to $10 million.

"With the enhanced Lincoln Director program, we are providing advisors more options for their small business clients," said Jamie Ohl, President, Retirement Plan Services, Lincoln Financial Group. "We take great pride in cultivating advisor, TPA and plan sponsor relationships, and these program enhancements underscore our commitment to our clients, as well as our position as a leader in the retirement planning industry."

The program now offers a deeper, non-proprietary investment universe, made up of more than 250 revenue neutral investment options in nearly 60 different asset categories, represented by 40 popular fund families. It also includes a broad range of Qualified Default Investment Alternative (QDIA) options, including eight industry-leading target date and risk-based series and Stadion's new managed account solution, StoryLine. These enhancements will provide plan sponsors and their advisors with one of the largest investment options universes in the industry to choose from as they customize their small market retirement plan offerings.

"With the enhanced Lincoln Director program, advisors now have unprecedented access to investment options for their small business clients, at a level typically available only to large institutional plans," said Tim Seifert, Vice President, National Sales Manager for Small Market Retirement Plan Services. "This is so important, because 93 percent of advisors consider a wide range of investment options important when recommending a retirement plan for their clients¹. Lincoln can now meet advisor needs in a way few competitors can, and we are confident it will help advisors to strengthen client relationships in the small market space."

The new cost structure of the Lincoln Director program provides a simple, transparent and level fee environment, making it easy for advisors, small business owners and their participants to understand the cost of their retirement plan. The enhanced program also provides plan sponsors with access to fiduciary support and solutions from Morningstar Investment Management LLC that provide 3(21) and/or 3(38) fiduciary services, giving advisors and plan sponsors the ability to select the level of fiduciary support needed, which is increasingly important in the changing regulatory environment.

For more information about the Lincoln Director retirement plan enhancements and program, visit: www.LincolnFinancial.com/Director

About Lincoln Financial Distributors

Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc. (LFD), the wholesale distribution business of Lincoln Financial Group (LFG), provides expertise and access to a range of solutions that help advisors protect wealth and deliver outcomes for their clients. Lincoln's broad portfolio includes innovative annuity, life insurance and retirement solutions that focus on addressing issues related to taxes, healthcare, longevity, inflation and market volatility. LFD comprises seasoned financial professionals who distribute Lincoln products through licensed insurance agents, registered broker-dealers, and other financial services intermediaries. Affiliates are separately responsible for their own financial and contractual obligations.

About Retirement Plan Services

For more than 60 years, Lincoln Financial Group's Retirement Plan Services (RPS) business has been helping savers boost their retirement readiness through employer-sponsored plans. Our distribution force of more than 400 professionals, including institutional and wholesale distribution channels and advisor-based sales teams, work to provide plan sponsors with retirement plans that not only meet the unique needs of their plan participants but also align with sponsors' total rewards strategies and help recruit and retain top talent. RPS Retirement Consultants, available onsite, online and by phone, develop long-term one-on-one relationships with savers to help motivate them to take actions that lead to better retirement outcomes. RPS offers personalized services, solutions and education to help plan participants get to and through retirement. The business serves approximately 1.4 million participants through 22,000 plan sponsors with $54 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2015.

About Lincoln Financial Group

Lincoln Financial Group provides advice and solutions that help empower Americans to take charge of their financial lives with confidence and optimism. Today, more than 17 million customers trust our retirement, insurance and wealth protection expertise to help address their lifestyle, savings and income goals, as well as to guard against long-term care expenses. Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation LNC and its affiliates. The company had $219 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2015. Learn more at: www.LincolnFinancial.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. To sign up for email alerts, please visit our Newsroom at http://newsroom.lfg.com.

Lincoln Director^SM group variable annuity (contract form 19476 and state variations) is issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Fort Wayne, IN, and distributed by Lincoln Financial Distributors, Inc., a broker-dealer. Group variable annuity is a long-term investment product designed particularly for retirement purposes. Group annuities contain both investment and insurance components and have fees and expenses, including administrative and advisory fees. Optional features may be available for an additional charge. The annuity's value fluctuates with the market value of the underlying investment options, and all assets accumulate tax-deferred. Withdrawals may carry tax consequences, including possible tax penalties.

Stadion Money Management, LLC, an independent registered investment advisor providing investment advice and account management services, is neither an affiliate nor a member of the Lincoln Financial Group.

Morningstar Investment Management LLC's investment lineups are subject to change. The investment options within a lineup do involve risk and will not always be profitable. Morningstar Investment Management does not guarantee that negative returns can or will be avoided in the lineups. An investment made in an investment option may differ substantially from its historical performance and, as a result, your plan participant may incur a loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The Morningstar Insight Series is not an investment option. It is a fund lineup chosen by Morningstar Investment Management LLC from the investment options that are available in the Lincoln Director^SM group variable annuity. Morningstar Investment Management LLC is a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc. Neither Morningstar Investment Management nor Morningstar Inc. is affiliated with the Lincoln Financial Group. The Morningstar name and logo are registered marks of Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar Investment Management LLC, 22 W. Washington Street, Chicago, IL 60602.

LCN-1451741-032316

¹ Lincoln Retirement Plan Services Advisor Study, 2014

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