Services Tags: Investment Consulting

Individual Retirement Plans Legislative Update — SECURE Act

In June of 2019, we published our first paper on the SECURE Act, “Securing Retirement through the SECURE Act,” after it passed the House and have since been monitoring the evolution of the legislation. On December 17th and 19th, the House and Senate respectively passed the SECURE Act (“the Act”) with the goal of enhancing retirement readiness for Americans. The Act will undoubtedly impact both retirement plans and individuals in many ways. This update will specifically focus on the pieces of the legislation impacting individuals.

Read> Individual Retirement Plans Legislative Update — SECURE Act

As always, your consultant will be able to address any specific questions you may have regarding these changes. A summary of the SECURE Act’s provisions impacting our defined contribution and defined benefit plan clients is outlined in a separate legislative update here.

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

John V. Miller, CFA to Deliver 2018 Investment Symposium Opening Keynote

John V. Miller, CFA

Head of Nuveen Municipals at Nuveen Asset Management

John leads the municipals fixed income strategic direction and investment perspectives for Nuveen. He also manages several municipal bond strategies and closed-end funds.

John is a trusted public voice in discussing key issues and trends within the municipal market. He is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg Television and Fox Business News. His perspective is often sought out by leading industry media such as The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Bloomberg News and Morningstar.

Before being named the co-head of fixed income in 2011, he was chief investment officer for the firm’s municipal bond team starting in 2007. He was named a managing director and head of portfolio management for Nuveen Asset Management in 2006. John became a portfolio manager in 2000 after starting at the firm as a municipal credit analyst in 1996. He began working in the financial industry at a private account management firm in 1993.

 

Alternatives 101 Video Series

Our Alternatives 101 video series covers each of the major alternatives asset classes, with guidance provided by several of Marquette’s research analysts and directors. In contrast to traditional investments, alternatives investing includes asset classes other than stocks, bonds, and cash (reference our Investing 101 series for more information about traditional investing concepts). This series aims to introduce trustees, staff, and other investors to the key terms and concepts they may encounter when investing in these typically less familiar asset classes.

The series covers:

View each talk in the player below— use the upper-right list icon to access a specific presentation.

For more information, questions, or feedback, please send us an email.

Defined Contribution Plan Legislative Update – 4Q 2019

Since our 2Q 2019 DC Legislative Update, both chambers of Congress have moved forward with legislative enhancements for retirement savings. Under the leadership of Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), the House has passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act). In the Senate, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, formally introduced the most recent version of the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act (RESA). The bulk of this update discusses the similarities and differences between the two pieces of legislation and what plan sponsors can expect going forward.

In this update, we summarize various pieces of legislation and recent topics of interest for DC plan sponsors:

  • SECURE Act vs. RESA
  • Release of Final Regulations on changes to the hardship withdrawal process by the IRS
  • IRS 2020 401(k) contribution limit increases

Download PDF > 4Q 2019 Defined Contribution Legislative Update

As always, your consultant will be able to address any specific questions you may have regarding these changes. For a broader view of Marquette’s approach to defined contribution consulting, see our previous research including A Roadmap for Defined Contribution Plan Sponsors and Defined Contribution Plans: A Look at the Past, Present & Future.

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

Illinois Sustainable Investing Act

As sustainability factors are increasingly being incorporated into the underlying investment processes at the corporate, manager, and investor levels, it’s not surprising that the Illinois General Assembly has taken up the issue in recently passed legislation. The Illinois Sustainable Investing Act (the “Act”), formally cited as Public Act 101-0473, was signed into law by Governor Pritzker with an effective date of January 1st, 2020. The goal of the Act is to recognize that sustainability factors play an important role in an investment’s overall performance and the creation of long-term value.

In this update, we summarize the Act and offer next steps for impacted clients, including:

  • Stated goals and purposes of the Act
  • The role of sustainability factors in investment performance and value
  • The duties of public agencies and governments
  • Implementation of the Act

Download PDF > Illinois Sustainable Investing Act Legislative Update

As always, your consultant will be able to address any specific questions you may have regarding these changes.

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

Private Equity Position Paper – 2019 Update

This position paper explores the fundamentals of private equity as an asset class. Particularly, we examine the subcategories of venture capital, growth equity, buyout, direct lending/ mezzanine debt, and distressed, and the investment styles within them; mechanics of investing in private equity including fund structure, commitment period, cash flow, and the J-curve; investor fees and performance; and recent trends. Recommendations and guidance towards the investment manager search process and making an allocation to the asset class are also included.

Download PDF > Private Equity Position Paper

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

Dave Smith Speaking at 2018 529 Conference 9/24

On Monday, September 24th, Dave Smith, CFA, will be speaking at the “529 Essentials Seminar” preceding the fifth annual 529 Conference, “Education Financial Planning: Required Insight for the 529 Industry.

The presentation, “Structuring & Evaluating the Investment Line-Up”, will cover topics including plan structure in philosophy and in practice; defining key terms and differentiating factors; investment type and management style trends; and the impact of fees, new asset classes and other trends on selection.

The one-day pre-conference seminar will unpack the mechanics of 529 college savings plans. The session is designed to provide a clearer understanding of the ever-evolving tax, regulatory, governance, financial aid, investment and operational implications driving the market today.

For more information, please visit the 529 Conference event page.

Live Videos: 2019 Investment Symposium Presentations

The six flash talks by our research team at Marquette’s 2019 Investment Symposium on October 4th are now available to view on our YouTube channel.

View each talk in the player above — use the upper-right list icon to access a specific presentation.

  • The Investment Case Behind ESG Investing and Implementation in Practice
    Nat Kellogg, CFA, Director of Manager Search
  • Beyond Traditional Real Estate: Exploring Opportunities in Non-Core Real Estate
    Jeremy Zirin, CAIA, Senior Research Analyst, Real Assets
  • So Many Risks, So Little Time: What’s Next in Global Risk?
    Nicole Johnson-Barnes, Research Analyst
  • U.S. Against the World: Should Investors Still Own International Stocks?
    David Hernandez, CFA, Senior Research Analyst, Non-U.S. Equities
    Samantha T. Grant, CFA, CAIA, Senior Research Analyst, U.S. Equities
  • Machine Learning for Investing: How is Artificial Intelligence Being Used in Asset Management?
    Ben Mohr, CFA, Director of Fixed Income
  • Pick Your Portfolio Poison: Recession or Inflation?
    Greg Leonberger, FSA, EA, MAAA, Director of Research

Marquette encourages open dialogue with our consultants and research team. For more information, questions, or feedback, please send us an email.

Luncheon Keynote with Mohamed El-Erian


Excerpts from Mohamed El-Erian’s Keynote Presentation at Marquette’s 2019 Investment Symposium

Mohamed El-Erian is Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz, Chair of President Obama’s Global Development Council, author of two New York Times bestsellers, and former CEO and co-CIO of PIMCO.

Please contact your consultant or send our marketing team an email for the password to view the excerpts.

A Prism of Capital Market Views: Portfolio Manager Panel

Marquette’s 2019 Investment Symposium opened with a portfolio manager panel hosted by Marquette’s director of research, Greg Leonberger, FSA, EA, MAAA, and featuring:

  • John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman, Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer at Ariel Investments
  • Olga Bitel, Partner and Global Strategist at William Blair
  • Matthew J. Eagan, CFA, Executive Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Loomis, Sayles & Company