Retirement plan advisory built on a 360° fiduciary foundation.
We serve as an independent ERISA 3(21) and 3(38) fiduciary for businesses, nonprofits, and plan sponsors. Our documented, institutional-grade process protects fiduciaries and empowers employees to build better retirement outcomes.
A documented process that protects your plan at every level.
Most retirement plan advisors sell products. We deliver a structured, repeatable fiduciary process aligned with DOL and ERISA best practices — documented quarterly and built to stand up to scrutiny.
Designed to protect. Designed to engage. Designed to enhance outcomes.
Plan Design Consultation
We analyze your plan structure to help enhance employer tax advantages, employee recruitment and retention, and ensure your plan design aligns with your organizational goals and employee demographics.
Employee Education
Financial wellness programs, enrollment meetings, and one-on-one consultations — designed to be approachable and jargon-free — help employees understand their benefits, increase participation, and help improve retirement readiness.
Provider Due Diligence
We evaluate recordkeepers, custodians, and TPAs using RPAG's proprietary RFP Express platform — benchmarking fees, services, and capabilities against thousands of plans nationwide.
Investment Monitoring
Every fund in your plan is scored using RPAG's institutional 10-point Scorecard System — evaluating people, process, and philosophy. Quarterly Fiduciary Investment Review reports document every decision to comply with the Investment Policy Statement and protect your committee.
Fee Benchmarking
We benchmark plan fees against RPAG's proprietary database of retirement plans nationwide — ensuring your costs are reasonable and competitive relative to your plan's size and complexity.
Fiduciary Documentation
Every meeting, investment change, and plan review is documented in the RPAG Fiduciary Briefcase — a secure online vault that keeps your committee audit-ready at all times.
Institutional tools. Independent advice.
Through our partnership with RPAG, we deliver institutional-quality 401(k) investment research, benchmarking, and fiduciary support to help plan sponsors reduce risk and improve participant outcomes. Leveraging RPAG's powerful technology and network of over 2,000 financial professionals, we provide clear, actionable reports and ongoing oversight that make it easier to manage a high-performing retirement plan.
10-Point Scorecard System
Every fund is scored on institutional criteria — evaluating people, process, and philosophy through both quantitative and qualitative analysis. This documented, repeatable methodology aligns with DOL and ERISA best practices.
Fee Benchmarking Database
RPAG's proprietary database benchmarks your plan's total costs against thousands of similar plans — ensuring fees are reasonable, competitive, and defensible under DOL scrutiny.
Provider RFP Express
When it's time to evaluate recordkeepers, RPAG's RFP platform streamlines the process — comparing providers on cost, service, technology, and plan fit to ensure you select the best partner for your organization.
Fiduciary Briefcase
A secure online vault that stores meeting summaries, investment reviews, compliance documents, and committee minutes — giving your plan committee 24/7 access and keeping your plan audit-ready at all times.
Simplifying the complex so employees are informed and engaged.
A great retirement plan only works if employees use it. We provide comprehensive education and financial wellness programs that help your workforce understand their benefits, increase participation, and make confident decisions about their financial future.
Enrollment & Education Meetings
On-site and virtual group presentations that walk employees through plan benefits, investment options, and enrollment — designed to be approachable and jargon-free.
Financial Wellness Programs
Comprehensive programs covering budgeting, debt management, Social Security planning, and retirement readiness — helping employees build confidence across their entire financial life.
One-on-One Consultations
Personalized sessions where employees can ask questions about their specific situation — contribution rates, investment selection, retirement timelines, and rollover decisions.
Ongoing Communication
Regular newsletters, market updates, and educational resources keep employees engaged year-round — not just during enrollment season.
Complimentary Risk Assessment
Every employee receives a complimentary risk assessment to align their ability and willingness to take investment risk with the investment options available in the plan — helping them choose the right allocation for their goals and comfort level.
Learn About Risk NumberExpertise across every qualified and nonqualified plan type.
Every organization is different. We advise on the full spectrum of employer-sponsored retirement plans and help you select the structure that best serves your business objectives and workforce needs.
401(k) & 403(b)
Traditional and Roth deferrals for businesses and tax-exempt organizations with safe harbor, profit sharing, and auto-enrollment design options.
457(b) Plans
Deferred compensation for governmental and tax-exempt employers — allowing additional pre-tax savings beyond standard plan limits.
Cash Balance Plans
Defined benefit plans that combine the predictability of a pension with the portability of a defined contribution plan — ideal for high-income business owners.
SIMPLE IRA
A streamlined retirement plan option for businesses with 100 or fewer employees — lower administrative costs with mandatory employer contributions.
SEP IRA
Simplified Employee Pension plans that allow employer-only contributions up to 25% of compensation — flexible and easy to administer for small businesses and self-employed professionals.
Nonqualified Deferred Comp
NQDC plans for executives and key employees who have maxed out qualified plan contributions — allowing additional tax-deferred savings with customized vesting and distribution schedules.
We work for your plan. Not a provider.
As an independent advisory firm, we are not tied to any recordkeeper, insurance company, or investment provider. This means our recommendations are driven solely by what is best for your plan sponsors and participants — not by sales quotas or proprietary product mandates.
No Proprietary Products
We never push funds or platforms that benefit us. Every recommendation is based on merit, fit, and fiduciary alignment with your plan's objectives.
Provider Agnostic
We evaluate and work with any recordkeeper or TPA in the marketplace — selecting the best fit for your organization based on cost, service, technology, and plan-specific needs.
Fee-Only Transparency
Our compensation is fully disclosed and aligned with your plan's best interests, eliminating conflicts of interest.
How protected are you?
Is your plan receiving the fiduciary oversight it deserves? Our team holds the designations and credentials that set the standard for retirement plan advisory excellence.
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.
RPAG Member Firm · ERISA 3(21) & 3(38) Fiduciary
Ashwood Financial Partners serves as an ERISA 3(21) co-fiduciary and 3(38) investment manager fiduciary for qualified retirement plans. Fiduciary services are offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS). Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Kestra IS and Kestra AS are not affiliated with Ashwood Financial Partners, LLC. RPAG (Retirement Plan Advisory Group) is a practice management platform for retirement plan advisors and is not affiliated with Ashwood Financial Partners, Kestra IS, or Kestra AS. RPAG tools and reports are used for plan evaluation and fiduciary documentation purposes. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice. Plan sponsors should consult with their legal and tax advisors regarding specific plan compliance questions. CommunityVotes Richmond 2025 Platinum Winner — Award based on community voting; not indicative of future performance or an endorsement by any regulatory body. CommunityVotes is not affiliated with Ashwood Financial Partners or Kestra Investment Services.