Steward Partners Elevates Wealth Management and Retirement Planning Services with Pontera

Rapidly-growing RIA and broker-dealer announces a forward-thinking partnership with Pontera, equipping advisors with secure and comprehensive 401(k) account management and reporting capabilities

NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pontera, the fintech company helping retirement savers receive professional 401(k) management from their trusted financial advisor, and Steward Partners Global Advisory ("Steward Partners"), a full-service, employee-owned, independent financial services firm, have announced a new partnership. Now overseeing more than $32 billion in client assets, Steward Partners is paving a path for its advisors to manage retirement plan accounts securely through its Advised Retirement Plan Account platform, powered by Pontera.

"The synergy between Steward Partners and Pontera is a natural extension of our innovative approach to financial advisory services," remarked Jim Gold, Chief Executive Officer of Steward Partners. "Pontera's technology elevates our capabilities in managing retirement assets, which is crucial for our clients' long-term financial well-being. It's about giving our advisors the best tools to effectively serve our clients."

As projections show that 40% of retirement income for U.S. workers will stem from their 401(k) savings, clients increasingly demand that these assets not be left outside of their overall financial plans. It is estimated that more than 70% of plan participants want personalized investment advice on their employer-sponsored retirement plan assets.¹

Pontera is here to help. Pontera provides a secure, client-permissioned platform for financial advisors to manage 401(k)s, 403(b)s and other held-away retirement plan assets. Leveraging Pontera's SOC 2 Type II- and ISO 27001-certified platform, advisors can analyze fund options, review historical fund performance and set target-fund allocations in alignment with their custom, portfolio-level tax and investment strategies. Pontera directly integrates with portfolio reporting, billing and other technology solutions to provide seamless account management.

"Reflecting on the dynamic year Steward Partners has had, marked by significant growth and industry recognition, our partnership comes at a pivotal time," said Peter Nolan, Vice President, Enterprise, at Pontera. "Together, we are committed to enhancing the already impressive suite of services that Steward Partners offers—empowering advisors to deliver the best possible retirement outcomes to clients."

Steward Partners celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023 and has remained one of the industry's fastest-growing RIA firms since its launch. The firm now has a national presence with more than 250 advisors across 59 offices in 26 states. Ranked #19 on Barron's 2023 list of top 100 RIAs, Steward Partners recently acquired Freedom Street Partners, adding over $3 billion to its client assets under management.

Last month, Pontera announced a $60 million funding round led by ICONIQ Growth. This round increased the company's total funding to date to $160 million, enabling Pontera to execute on its mission to help millions of U.S. workers retire better. To learn more about Pontera, visit www.pontera.com.

About Pontera

Pontera is a fintech company on a mission to help millions of Americans retire better by enabling financial advisors to manage, balance, and report on assets in held-away accounts, including 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and more. The platform is designed to work across many account types and seamlessly integrate with existing portfolio management tools to help advisors improve their clients' financial outcomes. Founded in 2012, Pontera is headquartered in New York City. Learn more at pontera.com.

About Steward Partners

Representing some of the U.S.'s top advisors, Steward Partners is a full-service, employee-owned, independent financial services firm that offers wealth management solutions for families, businesses and multigenerational investors. Established in 2013, the Firm fosters a positive, transparent culture of camaraderie and excellence that has fueled its substantial growth in a highly competitive industry. With its commitment to exceptional client service and forward-thinking partnerships, the Firm was ranked as the #19 RIA in the country in Barron's Top 100 RIAs for the year 2023. Offering services such as comprehensive wealth planning, private banking, institutional consulting, international advisory, and business solutions, the Firm was responsible for over $32 billion in client assets as of January 2024.

To learn more about Steward Partners Global Advisory, visit www.stewardpartners.com.

Barron's Top 100 RIA Firms, 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023. Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, L.P. All rights reserved. Participation in this ranking is by invitation only and limited to firms that meet the minimum eligibility requirements. About 200 firms were nominated, with 100 being ranked. Participating firms were evaluated and ranked on a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, including: assets overseen by the firm, revenue generated by the firm, level of technology spending, number of clients, size of staff, diversity across staff, and placement of a succession plan. The ranking may not be representative of any one client's experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of the advisor's future performance. Neither Steward Partners nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Barron's is not affiliated with Steward Partners.

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC, registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and SEC-registered investment adviser. Investment Advisory Services may also be offered through Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Steward Partners Investment Solutions, LLC, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC, and Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC are affiliates and separately operated.

¹ Schwab 2023 401(k) Participant Study, Charles Schwab, August 2023. https://content.schwab.com/web/retail/public/about-schwab/schwab_2023_401k_participant_survey_findings.pdf

SOURCE Pontera