Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

"The best way to start is to understand yourself psychologically as an investor, your fears and your tolerance for risk. This will help you make sure you choose the kinds of investments you're comfortable with and that are appropriate for your long-term goals." -- Charles R. Schwab

You, and many plan sponsors like you, are concerned about your employees' ability to manage their plan investments. Of equal concern, are your plan enrollment and contribution levels, and the fiduciary obligations that accompany a retirement benefit offering. By providing a well-designed communication and investment education program, you can increase plan awareness, encourage enrollment and equip your employees to make better informed investment decisions.

Retirement Alliance is pleased to work with Charles Schwab and you to develop a program that will inform and motivate your employees. The following are a few of the benefits of working with Charles Schwab and Retirement Alliance.

Schwab Institutional One Source Mutual Fund Program

Schwab Trust Advantage Program

Schwab Institutional One Source Mutual Fund Program

Retirement Alliance, Inc. provides bundled qualified plan services with Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Our program offers a broad range of services featuring an unparalleled combination of documents, communication, investments and administration.

This program offers the ability to run simple or complex plans. This includes plans such as Cross-Tested 401(k) Paired Plans. Our clients enjoy the advantages of a dedicated account representative. They can choose from almost two thousand no load mutual funds with the option of offering individual brokerage accounts. They also feel confident that all compliance and tax reporting is being performed in a timely and accurate manner.

Participants can enjoy the benefits of a quality retirement plan. In addition to quarterly statements we offer daily access to their accounts via our automated phone and web-based systems. We give the participants the option to speak with a customer service representative. In addition we provide educational materials that offers assistance with both their contributions amounts and suitable investment choices.

Our commitment to technology allows us to offer a high quality service at a very reasonable price.

Brokerage And Custody Services

Reassuring Security and Reliability from an Investment Leader

Schwab's years of experience and commitment to technology help ensure that your participants' assets are properly safeguarded and trade instructions are reliably executed.

With Schwab as your plan's custodian, you can select the level of service you require. With the Standard Service, the plan's trustee or your third-party administrator uses a Schwab checkbook to make payments such as participant distributions. With Enhanced Service complete paying agent services are available - with participant tax withholding and IRS 1099-Rs handled by Schwab.

Reliability: Leading Edge Technology

Schwab invests a significant percentage of its revenue into technological development. This means your company's investment instructions will be handled by the most reliable technology available, with the speed and accuracy you require. With our electronic connections, Schwab can help you efficiently offer a plan featuring mutual fund choices from a number of different fund families.

Stability: Regulatory Compliance

For over 20 years, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. has strictly adhered to the regulatory requirements set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD). Internal audits are conducted regularly, and reports on the broker/dealer's financial operational condition are filed as required.

Safety: A Reassuring Level of Security

Individual brokerage assets are protected up to $100 million - one of the highest levels of account protection in the industry. The majority of this coverage is provided through National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, with additional protection available through the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). This protection covers losses due to brokerage firm insolvency of liquidation only, and does not protect participants from losses due to market fluctuations.

   Back to TOP

Schwab Institutional One Source Mutual Fund Families

Funds families in bold are part of Schwab's One Source list are available as no load and no transaction fees. Fees may apply for other funds listed.

 Back to TOP

Schwab Trust Advantage Program

Retirement Alliance, Inc. provides bundled qualified plan services with the Charles Schwab Trust Company. The program offers corporate Trustee services for qualified plans that have at least two million dollars in trust assets.

Both clients and participants enjoy the same advantages outlined in the Schwab Institutional One Source Mutual Fund program with these exceptions:

• The Trust Advantage program offers a wide array of investments.
• Program fees charged to the client tend to be less than the One Source program fees.

The Trust Advantage Program provides a high value alternative to any plan sponsor interested in a full service option and compares very favorably to other bundled programs found in the market place.

Trustee Services

The Integrity of an Independent Trustee

Employing an independent trustee can help you effectively manage your fiduciary responsibilities and lighten your overall work load. We have chosen the Charles Schwab Trust Company to act as trustee for many of the plans we service. With the backing of the Charles Schwab Corporation as well as the experience of managing over 900 plans, we are confident The Charles Schwab Trust Company has the expertise you require of a corporate trustee.

Comprehensive Trust and Custody Services

The Charles Schwab Trust Company offers complete services designed to streamline the process of managing your company's portfolio, including safekeeping of your plan assets, stable value fund custody and trading, and reliable transaction and settlement services. The Charles Schwab Trust Company is equipped to provide the trust services you require to administer your company stock as well. We will work directly with The Charles Schwab Trust Company to provide you and your participants with timely, accurate distributions and a full range of reporting services including the preparation and distribution of IRS 1099R and 5500 forms.

Trustee Statements and Reporting

Coordinating with The Charles Schwab Trust Company, we will ensure you receive the information you need - exactly as you need it. Because we are connected electronically to Schwab through SchwabLink, the errors common to manual entry are virtually eliminated. You'll receive cash-based reporting, monthly statements and combined principal and income reports. To simplify tax reporting, we will prepare annual tax worksheets and transaction summaries. We will also send duplicates of all account-related communications to additional parties, as you designate.

Trust Professionals

We've selected The Charles Schwab Trust Company because of the experience they bring your plan. You may be assured your plan will be handled by professional Account Administrators with solid brokerage and bank trust department credentials, trained in the intricacies of trust administration and securities operations.

   Back to TOP

Schwab Trust Advantage Mutual Fund Families

The following fund families are available in the Schwab Trust Advantage Program. Two mandatory funds include Schwab Retirement Money Market and Schwab 1000 Inv. plus any of the following: