Retirement plan advisory built on a 360° fiduciary foundation.
We serve as an ERISA 3(21) Co-Fiduciary or 3(38) Investment Manager to help enhance employer tax advantages, employee recruitment and retention, and ensure your plan design aligns with your organizational goals and employee demographics.
A disciplined, 360° fiduciary framework.
Most retirement plan advisors sell products. We build fiduciary infrastructure — a documented, repeatable process designed to protect plan sponsors and improve participant outcomes.
Due Diligence
Consultation
Monitoring
Benchmarking
Education
Documentation
Provider Due Diligence
Comprehensive evaluation of recordkeepers, TPAs, and service providers using RPAG's proprietary research and benchmarking tools. We work with any recordkeeper or TPA in the marketplace.
Plan Design Consultation
Strategic plan design to help enhance employer tax advantages, employee recruitment and retention, and ensure alignment with organizational goals and employee demographics.
Investment Monitoring
Ongoing fiduciary investment oversight using RPAG's 10-Point Scorecard System. Quarterly Fiduciary Investment Review reports document every decision to comply with the Investment Policy Statement.
Fee Benchmarking
Transparent fee analysis benchmarked against industry data to ensure your plan's costs are competitive and defensible under ERISA's fiduciary standards.
Employee Education
Customized enrollment meetings, financial wellness programs, and one-on-one consultations designed to improve participant outcomes and plan engagement.
Fiduciary Documentation
RPAG's Fiduciary Briefcase provides a comprehensive audit trail documenting every fiduciary decision, review, and action taken on behalf of the plan.
Two levels of fiduciary protection.
Choose the fiduciary engagement model that aligns with your committee's governance objectives and desired level of fiduciary liability transfer.
Co-Fiduciary
Shared fiduciary responsibility. Ashwood provides investment recommendations while the plan committee retains final decision-making authority.
- Investment recommendations provided quarterly
- Committee retains final decision authority
- Shared fiduciary liability
- IPS development and compliance monitoring
- Ideal for committees with investment expertise
Investment Manager
Full discretionary authority. Ashwood assumes direct fiduciary responsibility for investment selection, monitoring, and replacement decisions.
- Full discretionary investment authority
- Maximum fiduciary liability transfer to Ashwood
- Proactive fund changes without committee vote
- Documented IPS with full compliance trail
- Ideal for committees seeking maximum protection
RPAG Member Firm.
As an RPAG member firm, we leverage institutional-grade research, technology, and delivery systems to produce measurable results for plan sponsors and participants.
10-Point Scorecard System
Proprietary investment scoring methodology that evaluates funds across 10 quantitative and qualitative criteria for objective, defensible investment decisions.
Fee Benchmarking Database
Access to comprehensive fee data across thousands of plans to ensure your plan's costs are competitive and defensible under ERISA's fiduciary standards.
Provider RFP Express
Streamlined request-for-proposal process that evaluates recordkeepers and service providers objectively, ensuring best-in-class service at competitive pricing.
Fiduciary Briefcase
Complete fiduciary documentation and audit trail. Every decision, review, and action is recorded and organized for regulatory compliance and legal protection.
Simplifying the complex so employees are informed and engaged.
Participant engagement drives plan success. Our education programs are designed to meet employees where they are — from first-day enrollment to pre-retirement planning.
Enrollment & Education Meetings
On-site and virtual enrollment sessions designed to maximize participation rates and help employees understand their plan benefits and investment options.
Financial Wellness Programs
Comprehensive financial education covering budgeting, debt management, retirement readiness, and Social Security optimization to improve overall financial health.
One-on-One Consultations
Personalized meetings with individual employees to review their retirement readiness, asset allocation, contribution rates, and retirement income projections.
Ongoing Communication
Regular newsletters, webinars, and updates on legislative changes, market conditions, and plan enhancements to keep participants informed and engaged year-round.
Complimentary Risk Assessment
Every plan participant has access to a complimentary risk assessment to align their ability and willingness to take investment risk with the investment options available in the plan. Understanding each participant's Risk Number helps ensure appropriate asset allocation and improved long-term outcomes.
Learn About Risk Number →Plans we advise.
We provide fiduciary advisory services across the full spectrum of employer-sponsored retirement plans.
401(k) / 403(b)
The most common employer-sponsored plans for for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations. We advise on plan design, investment selection, and fiduciary compliance.
457(b)
Deferred compensation plans for state and local government employees and certain tax-exempt organizations with unique distribution and rollover advantages.
Cash Balance Plans
Hybrid defined benefit plans that combine the predictability of pension-like benefits with the portability of defined contribution plans. Ideal for maximizing tax-deductible contributions.
SIMPLE IRA
Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees. A cost-effective retirement solution for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees seeking simplified administration.
SEP IRA
Simplified Employee Pension plans offering higher contribution limits than traditional IRAs. An efficient option for self-employed individuals and small business owners.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
NQDC plans for highly compensated executives seeking to defer income beyond qualified plan limits. Custom plan design aligned with retention and succession strategies.
We work for your plan. Not a provider.
Independence is not a marketing phrase — it is the structural foundation of our fiduciary commitment. We have no proprietary products, no revenue-sharing arrangements, and no conflicts of interest.
No Proprietary Products
We do not manufacture, distribute, or receive compensation from any investment product. Every recommendation is made solely in the best interest of your plan participants.
Provider Agnostic
We work with any recordkeeper or TPA in the marketplace. Our role is to identify opportunities to help improve outcomes for your plan and your employees.
Fee-Only Transparency
Our compensation is fully disclosed and benchmarked against industry standards. No hidden fees, no revenue sharing, no conflicts — just aligned interests and transparent pricing.
Is your plan getting the fiduciary oversight it deserves?
Schedule a complimentary plan review. We'll benchmark your fees, evaluate your investment lineup, and identify opportunities to help improve outcomes for your plan and your employees.
Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Ashwood Financial Partners is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS.
Retirement Plan Advisory Group (RPAG) is not affiliated with Kestra IS, Kestra AS, or Ashwood Financial Partners. RPAG provides research, technology, and consulting resources to independent retirement plan advisors.
CommunityVotes Richmond 2025 Platinum Winner and 2024 Silver Winner designations are based on community voting and do not constitute an endorsement of investment advisory services. These awards are not indicative of future performance or investment results.
This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, tax, or investment advice. Please consult with qualified professionals regarding your specific situation.