TD Ameritrade Institutional Aims to Help RIAs and TPAs

New corporate retirement plan solutions will include:

• A TPA referral network that matches RIAs with qualified independent TPAs and recordkeepers
• A 401(k) educational program to assist independent RIAs in starting, growing and then managing their retirement plan practice. RIAs can learn different ways to attract and retain retirement plan business. For the breakaway brokers that may be working with bundled providers, this program can provide the knowledge and tools they need to present the alternative of an unbundled approach to their clients.
• The Trust Business Development Team of consultants consolidates both retirement and adviser sales teams leading to greater coordination in uncovering opportunities for advisrs and TPAs.
• The ability to manage Self-Directed Broekerage Accounts (SDBAs) within a retirement plan directly through Veo, TD Ameritrade Institutional’s adviser trading platform. The new SDBA capability in Veo provides RIAs the ability to electronically trade securities, rebalance portfolios, deduct management fees and automatically download SDBA account information into their portfolio management and accounting systems.

According to a press release, these programs are intended to enhance TD Ameritrade Institutional’s current open architecture platform, which offers retirement plan advisers and their clients greater investment choice including thousands of mutual funds and fee transparency. The ability to choose service providers and access a referral network allows advisers and TPAs to realize the full range of benefits of an unbundled solution, the company said.

–Nicole Bliman