Products February 7, 2008

CA Firm Offers CIF ‘Marketplace’

A Campbell, California-based plan service provider is making information about collective investment funds (CIF) more accessible to plan advisers.
Reported by

A news release from 401kDIRECT said advisers can now use its CIF marketplace to review and select CIFs for their plan sponsor clients.

The company said the funds are sub-advised by national trust companies and consulting firms and represent a variety of investment styles allowing advisers to better meet differing client needs.

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The advantages of CIFs include transparent pricing, lower net costs, and access to professional money management. In addition, the funds are priced and traded in a daily environment and are not subject to many of the restrictions of mutual funds, such as early withdrawal penalties, the announcement said.

For additional information, contact Lance Roberts at 740-927-3553 or email lroberts@401k-direct.com.

Products February 7, 2008

John Hancock Offers Resource on Tax and Estate Planning

John Hancock has formed a new team within its Special Markets Planning Group to function as a resource for financial planners and advisers who counsel clients about tax and estate planning.
Reported by

The new team is an external complement to John Hancock’s Special Markets Advisory Group, a company announcement said. The firm has named Brandon Buckingham, Vice President and Advanced Planning Attorney, to lead the group.

Other members of the new group include attorneys Jennifer Gugliotti, who joined John Hancock from KAF Financial Group, and Dru Donatelli, who joined from Sun Life. Both are specialists in tax, estate, and retirement planning.

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“We’re now in a new era of retirement planning that is much more sophisticated and technical than in decades past,” said Hugh McHaffie, President of Wealth Management at John Hancock, in the announcement.

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