401K GPS Brings 401(k) SOS to the Masses

Commentary October 17, 2011 at 06:14 AM
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401K GPS has launched a unique, online service designed for individuals and small businesses to manage their 401(k) retirement accounts.

Through its proprietary "protactical" process, 401K GPS's investment team assesses and monitors each client's 401(k) strategy on a daily basis. The company also delivers sound market information and forward-thinking recommendations to clients so that they can monitor and rebalance their portfolios in a timely manner, and eliminate to the extent possible the guesswork that so many people seem to fall prey to when it comes to retirement planning.

The vast world of 401(k) plans can be confusing to even the most financially savvy of investors, and although there have been many efforts made at streamlining the education process and making it easier for people to navigate this space, Adam Kuleza, co-founder and investment strategist at Brighton, Michigan-based 401K GPS, believes there's still a lack of proper tools to help those investors who have all or most of their assets in 401(k) plans.

The need for proper 401(k) guidance cuts across socio-economic classes, race, age and gender, Kuleza says, and "while many advisors help their clients navigate the financial markets, they seem to still largely ignore people who have most of their money in 401(k) plans."

However, "a lot of people, regardless of their age and background, are looking for 401(k) advice," he says. 

Signing up for the process at www.401kGPS.com takes just about five minutes, Kuleza says, and the quarterly fee of $59, or the annual fee of $199, is the same for all, regardless of how much one has under management in a 401(k) plan. The personalized service also includes written reports on market conditions and asset classes, as well as the possibility of phone calls and personalized discussions with investment analysts and advisors on the team.

"We feel that there's so much more to be done in terms of improving the education and outreach processes with respect to retirement planning, especially 401(k) plans," Kuleza says.

401K GPS's overarching goal is to help protect clients' assets in 401(k) plans. Part of that process, Kuleza says, is to carefully monitor the funds in a particular client's plan, not just for past performance, but also in terms of fees, expenses, management tenure and volatility.

"With a view to downside protection, our idea is to make sure that people keep the wealth in their 401(k) plans," says Tim Giampetroni, chief research analyst at 401K GPS. "We're constantly monitoring the markets for trends and themes, and keep our clients abreast of these."

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