Investment Advisory

Investment Selection & Monitoring

Defined contributions plan sponsors have a variety of Objectives: (i) improve investment options offered by their 401(k) plan; (ii) limit the level of risk required to achieve their retirement plan’s investment objectives; (iii) identify, monitor and control plan expenses; and (iv) create a process of fiduciary due diligence and documentation.

To assist plan sponsors in obtaining their objectives, Cowden Advisers, Inc. will:

  • Review, amend and maintain a plan’s Investment Policy Statement (IPS) annually
  • Monitor the performance and consistency of plan investments relative to a Plan’s IPS
  • Provide quarterly monitoring reports
  • Make recommendations regarding changes to the fund line-ups and allocation where appropriate
  • Meet with a plan’s Retirement Committee at least quarterly
  • Advise plan sponsors and, as necessary, participants as to regulatory changes effecting your plan and trust
  • Routine vendor analysis
  • Perform plan expense and investment costs analysis

Our proprietary database allows us to generate Quarterly Monitoring Reports that contain specific recommendations to hold, add or remove each investment. In addition, we can create detailed information relative to all the funds in your plan including:

  • Style of the fund
  • Level of risk of the fund
  • Manager tenure of the fund
  • All fees related to the fund
  • Fund performance

Our investment fund review is fueled by the ScorecardSM System, which includes the ranking of a plan’s funds in approximately 14 asset classes. The scoring system is built around pass/fail criteria, on a scale of 0 to 10 (with 10 being the best).

Our leading edge process employs a complete approach that takes into account risk adjusted return characteristics, style analysis, peer group rankings and various qualitative factors. This is nearly identical to what the largest and most advanced investment institutions in the world utilize, but has been customized so that it may be used for all of our clients, regardless of size or sophistication.

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