Russell Investments has launched the Russell Retirement Lifestyle Solution, a planning and investment programme designed to help build a portfolio specifically for retirement goals.
Available only through financial advisers, the programme features an adaptive investment model strategy that aims to maintain a suitable client’s funded status above 100 per cent in retirement.
The three-pronged framework targets the primary concerns of many of their clients, that is consistent income (reliability), not running out of money (sustainability) and maintaining control of their assets (flexibility).
The new programme is initially available through two established partners — Cambridge Investment Research and Lincoln Investment Planning — and some of Russell’s largest clients in the registered investment adviser channel.
“Advisers are preparing for a sea change in their practices. Clients need more from them — more time, more advice, more reassurance they are on track with their savings, and more personalised portfolios,” says Sandy Cavanaugh, chief executive for Russell’s adviser-sold business. “Advisers know there isn’t a magic bullet, but aren’t completely satisfied with the retirement income options available to them currently. They want to be sure they have the right tools to meet clients’ needs, while also managing their own practices efficiently and productively. Given this, we think advisers are going to find the Russell Retirement Lifestyle Solution to be a unique and valuable programme that will help them navigate the retirement process, deliver a customised solution and provide ongoing support to their clients.”
The Retirement Lifestyle Solution consists of:
• Retirement Lifestyle Planner — A simple-to-navigate, five-step web-based planning tool designed to help advisors create a personalized and sustainable withdrawal plan for a client. The Retirement Lifestyle Planner puts the adviser at the centre of the planning process, reinforcing their role in helping clients get through retirement, from analysing investor information, assets, feasibility of spending goals, portfolio allocations and ultimately the individual plan.
• Retirement Income Model Strategy — Based on Russell’s Adaptive Investing approach, this newly launched strategy is an extension of Russell’s family of model strategies. It allows for a range of periodic withdrawals for retirees aged 60 to 85 and, because the model strategy is comprised of mutual funds, it allows clients to maintain the control and flexibility that’s critically important to them at this stage in their lives.
• An adviser support programme that gives distribution partners and advisors tools to implement the program and to have meaningful conversations with their clients. The support programme includes how-to-use guides, sales materials, quarterly fact sheets and educational modules.
"Many of our independent advisers strive to provide their clients with financial plans and solutions that lead up to and through retirement, and this is important as clients consider how to plan their retirement spending and make their assets last,” says Bobbi Martin, first vice president, marketing, at Cambridge Investment Research. “Russell’s solution serves that effort well and provides advisers with a comprehensive support programme to help them engage clients in meaningful, productive conversations on these vital questions.”
