Guardian Financial Partners offers traditional consulting services to institutions, non-profits and ERISA plans. We assist each client, committee or board of directors in all of the following areas:
Investment Policy Statement (IPS) Development and Maintenance
The cornerstone of any account is the IPS. Our advisors have over 60 years of combined experience in helping our institutional clients develop sound and “Prudent Professional” IPS statements. We have the ability to develop IPS documents for taxable accounts, ERISA Plans (defined contribution and defined benefit), and non-profit entities. A key factor in our process is our role as a stated fiduciary.
Construction of Asset Allocations Using Modern Portfolio Theory
The asset allocation identified in an IPS must align with the stated goals and objectives of the entity it serves. Key factors in developing asset allocation are:
At the request of the client, we are able to construct asset allocations using alternative investments.
Selection of Investment Options (Passive and/or Active Strategies)
Constructing portfolios involves reviewing a multitude of investment options. Our role as a consultant is to help clients determine whether to use passive strategies (index investments), active strategies (investments with a specific investment approach), or some blend of these two distinct approaches. We use institutional-quality research from Morningstar and Littman Gregory to help us identify appropriate investment options in each category as the building blocks of each client’s asset allocation.
Ongoing Performance and Review
Once the client has adopted the IPS, and the recommended asset allocation and investment options, Guardian Financial Partners provides quarterly performance reports on the aggregated account. Attention is given to each investment’s performance relative to a style-based index. We also provide aggregated performance reporting relative to a basic benchmark and an aggregated style-based benchmark. Time-weighted and dollar-weighted returns are available on both a gross and net-of-fees basis.
With Guardian Financial Partners as a consultant and stated fiduciary, our clients can depend on our commitment to ensure the fulfillment of their role as fiduciaries, as well as meet ERISA’s higher standard of “Prudent Expert.”
