Retirement Plans. Choosing a Retirement Plan That Works for You and Your Company. Retirement Plans

Transcription

1 Retirement Plans Choosing a Retirement Plan That Works for You and Your Company Retirement Plans

2 About Stifel Nicolaus Stifel Nicolaus is a full-service Investment firm with a distinguished history of providing securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, institutions, corporations, and municipalities. Established in 1890 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Stifel Nicolaus is one of the nation s leading firms. Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp. Stifel Financial Corp. s publicly traded stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SF. Retiremen

3 Choosing a retirement plan that can best meet your company s needs is one of the most important business decisions you will make. The plan you choose may be one of the most significant benefits you offer your employees, and it may also have a direct impact on the continued success of your business. With so much at stake, large and small companies from a variety of industries turn to Stifel Nicolaus, a leading investment firm with the professional resources, personal service, industry expertise, and independent objectivity needed to assist with their retirement plan needs. Whether you require creative plan design, assistance with product selection, plan implementation, an employee communication initiative, a fee analysis, or investment monitoring, Stifel Nicolaus has the experience and resources to help you, your company, and your valued employees in pursuing long-term financial objectives. Our retirement plans t professionals Plans can assist you in evaluating plan options and choosing the plan that best meets your needs

4 Why Choose Stifel Nicolaus? Stifel Nicolaus does not have a proprietary retirement plan program. As such, we analyze your company s needs and provide objective guidance on matching your needs with the most appropriate provider and investment platform. The process of selecting a provider, implementing a plan, and keeping it current is no small task. We can tailor our services to meet your unique needs and help you develop a strategy to ensure the success of your plan. Stifel Nicolaus can help simplify the retirement plan process by providing the following services: Consulting. Choosing the right plan can be a challenge. That s why we learn about your business, to understand your demographics, objectives, and the needs of your employees. To determine the plan that is most suitable for you, we will help you evaluate such factors as: Who will contribute to the plan employer, employee, or both? Which employees will be eligible to participate? How much money do you desire to contribute to the plan? Who will make investment choices and allocations? How much investment flexibility is required? How often will the plan be valued? What features do you want to include? How much will it cost? Designing. Because there is flexibility in options within the strict IRS rules and regulations, we ll work with your legal and tax professionals in order to develop the plan design Retiremen - 2 -

5 documentation necessary. We also continually review legislative changes and how they may impact your plan. In addition, your Stifel Financial Advisor can provide you with various investment alternatives tailored for your plan. Stifel Nicolaus offers a broad array of mutual funds, insurance products, and individual money managers to help meet the varied investment objectives of your employees. Implementing. We can help you successfully implement an effective plan that minimizes your efforts and seeks to maximize the benefits to you and your employees. Your Stifel Financial Advisor will coordinate with your provider and oversee that all necessary paperwork is correct and complete. A team of retirement plan professionals will assist with initial enrollment and informational group meetings, plus individual employee consultations, when practical. t Plans - 3 -

6 Communicating. Ultimately, the success of your plan is dependent on the participation of your employees. That s why communication and education are key. Your Stifel Financial Advisor will assist in the development and presentation of programs to increase plan awareness. Stifel will also assist with education on such topics as investing and asset allocation and help employees understand and prepare for payout alternatives at retirement. The better your employees comprehend the plan s benefits, the more likely they are to invest in their own retirements. Administering. Timely and accurate record keeping and administration are essential in the operation of a retirement plan. Your Stifel Financial Advisor may be able to work in concert with your current provider or will help you select a prudent third-party record keeper and administrator capable of fulfilling such duties and heping you fulfill your fiduciary responsibilities. Some packages are bundled, whereby the investment firm also performs the administration. Retiremen With other investments, an independent administration firm may be selected

7 Monitoring. Your business is not static. As the composition of your workforce changes, your retirement plan requirements may also change. Your Stifel Financial Advisor will periodically review your plan provisions, services, fees, as well as the performance of your investment options, to determine if changes should be made and to ensure that the plan is meeting the objectives of your business and the needs of your employees. Plan Sponsor Responsibilities As a plan sponsor, you need to consider and monitor a number of variables to meet your responsibilities as a fiduciary: Evaluation and selection of a suitable provider Design and ongoing review of an investment portfolio Plan design and compliance Disclosures to participants Participant education programs Plan administration capabilities Legislative review Fees for investments and administration Documentation of decisions and ongoing evaluations Stifel can provide resources and assist you in fulfilling these duties. t Plans - 5 -

8 Qualified Plans Alternatives With today s array of retirement plans, choosing the right one for your company requires an understanding of what makes each one unique. Defined Contribution Plans. These plans define the contribution going into the plan, or how it is allocated to participants. Typically, a percentage of compensation is contributed and benefits are based solely on contributions plus or minus investment results. Following are some of the more popular types of defined contribution plans: Profit Sharing Plan Money Purchase Pension Plan 401(k) Plan 403(b) Plan 457 Plan ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Retiremen - 6 -

9 In addition, although not qualified plans, these IRA-based plans are ideal for small employers: SIMPLE IRA (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) SEP IRA (Simplified Employee Pension Plan) Defined Benefit Plans. A defined benefit plan promises to pay a definite, stated retirement benefit to participants. Annually, an actuary will determine, according to the benefit formula in the plan document and recent investment returns, the required contribution to meet this promised benefit. Contributions are determined in reference to the benefits provided, not on the basis of a percentage of compensation. For older and highly compensated employees, this type of plan may allow for the highest level of taxdeductible contributions. Choosing Your Plan As you can see, there are many different types of retirement plans available. The options are numerous, and choosing the appropriate plan requires careful consideration. Stifel Nicolaus offers experience, personal service, and professional ability to help you identify the retirement program that best meets the specific needs of your business and your employees. t Plans - 7 -

10 Stifel Services Annuities Variable, Immediate, and Fixed Asset Allocation Cash Management (Stifel Prestige Accounts) Check Writing Debit MasterCard Bill Payment Services (Online account access) College Planning 529 College Savings Plans Education Savings Accounts Common Stocks Consulting Services (Fee-Based Programs) Corporate Executive Services Cashless Stock Option Exercise Control and Restricted Stock Transactions Corporate Finance Equity Line of Credit Financial Planning Fixed Income Investments Certificates of Deposit Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) Corporate Bonds Government and Agency Securities Municipal Bonds Insurance Disability Insurance Life Insurance (Individual and Business Applications) Long-Term Care Insurance IRAs Traditional, Roth, and Rollovers Managed Money Money Market Funds Mutual Funds Options Preferred Stocks Public Finance Research Retirement Planning Retirement Plans 401(k) Plans Profit Sharing Plans Money Purchase Plans SEP IRAs SIMPLE IRAs Defined Benefit Plans Syndicate Offerings Trust and Estate Planning Unit Investment Trusts

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