Award Disclosures

Young Guns Top Plan Advisors: Established in 2014, this list is based on applications received from nominees designated by NAPA Broker-Dealer/RIA Firm Partners. Those applications are vetted by a blue ribbon panel of senior advisor industry experts based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data submitted by the nominees, as well as a broker-check review, and voted on by thousands in the retirement plan industry. These “Young Guns” are widely seen as the future leaders of the retirement plan advisor industry. In 2018, NAPA received more than 500 nominations (a 10% increase from a year ago). While each year’s nominations contain an inspiring pool of potential candidates, due to both the size and quantity of qualifying advisors, we have again acknowledged 75 top young retirement plan advisors. For more information about the 2018 Young Guns: Top 75 Under 40, please visit www.napa-net.org/industry-lists/young-guns/

2020 “Aces”: Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisors Under 40: Established in 2014, this list – officially the National Association of Plan Advisors (“NAPA”) Top Retirement Plan Advisors Under 40 (unofficially, our “young guns”) – this year has been rebranded as “Aces” – is based on applications received from nominees designated by NAPA Broker-Dealer/RIA Firm Partners. Those applications are vetted by a blue-ribbon panel of senior advisor industry experts based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data submitted by the nominees, as well as a broker-check review. These “Aces “are widely seen as the future leaders of the retirement plan advisor industry.

2018 Financial Times Disclosure: Financial advisers from across the US applied for consideration, having met a set minimum of requirements. The applicants were then graded on six criteria: DC assets under management; DC plan growth rate; specialization in DC plans; years of experience; advanced industry credentials; and compliance record. There are no fees or other considerations required of advisers who apply for the FT 401.

The final FT 401 represents an impressive cohort of elite advisers: the “average” adviser in this year’s FT 401 has 20 years of experience advising DC plans and advises $1.26 billion in DC plan assets. The FT 401 advisers hail from 38 states and Washington, D.C., and DC plans on average account for 81% of their practices’ total assets.

The FT 401 is one in a series of rankings of top advisers developed by the FT in partnership with Ignites Research, including the FT 300 (independent RIA firms) and the FT 400 (broker-dealer advisers).

2019 Financial Times 401 Top Retirement Advisors is an independent listing produced annually by the Financial Times (October 2019). The FT 401 is based on data gathered from advisors, regulatory disclosures, and the FT’s research. The listing reflects each advisor’s status in six primary areas: DC plan assets under management (AUM), DC AUM growth rate, specialization in DC plans, years of experience, advanced industry credentials and compliance record. This honor is not indicative of the advisor’s future performance. Neither the advisors nor their parent firms pay a fee to the Financial Times in exchange for inclusion in the FT 401.

NAPA Top DC Advisor Teams
The NAPA Top DC Advisor Team list highlights the nation’s leading retirement plan advisor firms. Sure, we know it’s not just about the numbers – but the reality is that NAPA members are having a huge impact every single day, not just on the quality of retirement plan advice, but also in building a more financially secure retirement for millions of Americans. Unlike other lists, this focuses on teams, broadly defined as being in a single physical location, and having at least $100 million in DC assets under advisement. It is based on self-reported assets under advisement as of December 31, 2019, unless otherwise noted.