How Smart401k Works
We can advise you on most employer-sponsored retirement plans including 401(k), 403(b), TSP, 457 plans and others. Our services are offered
directly to you, or they can be offered to you through your company as an employer-sponsored benefit. If you're an employer interested in
offering Smart401k to your employees, please e-mail us at employer@smart401k.com to discuss our available services.
View a demo of our service to see how you can use our advice to control risk, maximize opportunities and personally control your own investments.
Your recommendations are prepared one step at a time:
Step One -- Determine your Risk Comfort Level
To determine an individual's acceptable level of risk, we evaluate their willingness to lose investment principle in exchange for the
chance to increase the overall performance of their investment. We'll ask you to take an online questionnaire that will help us determine your risk
tolerance. Your assigned "risk level" will help determine how to allocate your dollars, and into which funds.
After you complete the questionnaire, we’ll begin our analysis and assemble your recommendation.
And that's all you have to do.
Step Two -- Select your Funds
We first review the funds available in your plan, looking at dozens of characteristics, including:
- The fund manager's track record
- Consistency of performance across different time periods
- Performance of the fund against its peers
- Risk vs. Return of the fund
- Expenses and the overall ethics and stewardship of the fund family
With that assessment complete, we match funds up with the asset categories we've chosen to recommend to you for the current calendar quarter.
Step Three -- Establish your Allocation Mixes
Every three months, we review and revise our recommendation for how you should allocate your funds, including asset categories (eg. Large
Company Growth) and the percentage of your money that should go into each category. The allocation mix we give you will depend on your
risk comfort level and preferred investment style.
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Our allocation mix recommendations are based on strategies from Modern Portfolio Theory and The Efficient Frontier.
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According to these theories, a majority of an individual's investment returns are based on which asset classes an individual
invested in, increasing the importance of proper asset allocation.
- In addition, we analyze each asset class and consider past performance, as well as our view of future market/economic prospects, to
help determine our allocation recommendations.
Relax, We're Here for You
Access to our independent advisors
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Our advisors prepare and update your recommendations. We send you notices via emial, but we're available by phone, email or online chat if
your plan changes or if you have questions.
An action-plan recommendation specifically for you
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You'll get a summary of the types of funds to diversify across, along with a graphic view of best and worst returns for your mix of
fund types over past years. We'll show you the percentage of your retirement plan money that should go in each fund.
Quarterly investment reviews
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Every quarter, we update our recommendations for how you should allocate your funds within your employer sponsored retirement plan. We'll notify you by email
when we recommend you make changes to your plan.
Unlimited access to the Smart401k Website
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View your recommendation, modify your investment profile (we'll link you there), explore our blog or resources page.
Market commentary and education
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Every quarter, you'll receive The Nest Egg newsletter with market commentary by Adam Bold, host of
the nationally syndicated "The Mutual Fund Show" and co-founder of Smart401k.
Peace of Mind
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The biggest benefit of Smart401k is knowing that our investment professionals are watching over your retirement plan investment. We worry about it
so you don't have to.
Want to know more? Find out about Our Executive Team.