fi360 Announces Initiative with Charles Schwab Retirement Business Services for Fiduciary Management Solution

PITTSBURGH, July 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- fi360, the premier organization for fiduciary education, investment analytics, support services, and industry insights for financial professionals, today announced a collaboration with Charles Schwab Retirement Business Services. Schwab retirement advisors will now have access to a customized version of the fi360 Toolkit that is directly integrated into the Schwab Retirement Center technology platform. fi360 also will be conducting custom Accredited Investment Fiduciary^® (AIF^®) training events for Schwab retirement plan advisors. 

The technology project will allow Schwab advisors to leverage fi360's first-in-class product, an online investment management tool created to support advisors' management of client portfolios and documentation of a prudent investment process.

In addition to this key technology development, the two firms are working together to bring AIF training to Schwab retirement plan advisors, enabling them to earn the AIF designation. The AIF designation represents a thorough knowledge of and ability to apply a fiduciary process.

Importantly, the fi360 Toolkit is fully integrated with the Schwab advisor interface and will:

• Automatically update plan and portfolio data
• Manage client records
• Develop, document, and track client investments
• Develop and test asset allocations
• Generate proposals
• Comply with 408(b)(2) fee disclosure regulations

"fi360's sophisticated toolkit is an integral part of our commitment to helping advisors meet a fiduciary standard of care and help their clients navigate the evolving retirement landscape," said Debbie Pritchard, vice president, Schwab Retirement Business Services. "By streamlining investment selection, analysis, and reporting, advisors will be able to more efficiently provide their clients with a high level of service and transparency."

"We are excited to be working with Schwab to support retirement plan advisors with the most sophisticated fiduciary education and plan management and client reporting tools available," said fi360 CEO Blaine Aikin. "But it is ultimately the investors on the receiving end of highly-supported, prudent fiduciary management who are the greatest beneficiaries of this collaboration."

About fi360
fi360 offers a comprehensive approach to investment fiduciary education, practice management and support that has established them as the go-to source for investment fiduciary insights. With substantiated Practices as the foundation, fi360 offers world-class fiduciary Training/Education, Tools and Resources that are essential for fiduciaries and those who provide services to fiduciaries to effectively and successfully manage their roles and responsibilities. Fi360 assists those who rely on their fiduciary education programs, professional AIF® and AIFA® designations, Web-based analytical and reporting software and resources to achieve success. For more information about fi360, please visit www.fi360.com or Twitter: @fi360.

About Charles Schwab
The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW) is a leading provider of financial services, with more than 300 offices and 8.7 million client brokerage accounts, 1.52 million corporate retirement plan participants, 822,000 banking accounts, and $1.80 trillion in client assets. The company was ranked "Highest in Investor Satisfaction with Self-Directed Services" in the 2012 U.S. Self-Directed Investor Satisfaction Study^SM from J.D. Power and Associates. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company provides a full range of securities brokerage, banking, money management and financial advisory services to individual investors and independent investment advisors. Its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (member SIPC, www.sipc.org), and affiliates offer a complete range of investment services and products including an extensive selection of mutual funds; financial planning and investment advice; retirement plan and equity compensation plan services; referrals to independent fee-based investment advisors; and custodial, operational and trading support for independent, fee-based investment advisors through Schwab Advisor Services. Its banking subsidiary, Charles Schwab Bank (member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender), provides banking and mortgage services and products. More information is available at www.schwab.com and www.aboutschwab.com.

Charles Schwab Bank; Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.; Schwab Retirement Plan Services, Inc.; Schwab Retirement Plan Services Company; and Schwab Retirement Technologies® (Schwab RT) are separate but affiliated companies and wholly owned subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation. Brokerage products and services are offered by Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Trust and custody products and services are offered by Charles Schwab Bank. Schwab Retirement Plan Services, Inc. and Schwab Retirement Plan Services Company provide recordkeeping services with respect to retirement plans. Schwab RT is engaged in developing and licensing proprietary retirement plan recordkeeping systems to independent third-party administrators.

SOURCE fi360