RIA Advisors has operated as an investment adviser since 2009. As of December 31,
2023, RIA Advisors had $1,239,415,376 in client assets under management.
Its principal owners are Connie Mack, Richard Rosso, Lance Roberts and James Daniel
Ratliff.
Asset Management
RIA Advisors primarily provides fee-based investment advisory services. Our main
business is “managing investment advisory accounts.” Specifically, this service describes:
A) Determining what your current financial situation is and what you want to
accomplish with your investments over time;
B) Developing a plan that is tailored to your situation;
C) Buying and selling investments on your behalf to accomplish the life goals you
have.
RIA Advisors may also provide ongoing advice on assets held away at custodians with
which RIA Advisors does not have a relationship. This includes direct management of
401ks, 403bs, 529 plans, and other assets where RIA Advisors has discretion and may
leverage an Order Management System to implement allocation or rebalancing strategies
on behalf of the client. The client securely logs into the order management system and
allows RIA Advisors to manage accounts without taking custody of assets. RIA Advisors
regularly reviews the current holdings and available investment options in these accounts,
monitors the accounts, rebalances and implements RIA Advisors’ strategies as
necessary. In limited circumstances, RIA Advisors provides ongoing advice for non-
discretionary, held-away accounts.
Robo-Advisory Portfolio Management Services
RIA Advisors provides “robo-advisory” portfolio management services through an online
interface. This entails the use of algorithm-based portfolio management advice, rather
than in-person investment advice. These automated investment solutions are customized
to each client and based on individual characteristics, such as the client’s age, risk
tolerance, income, and current assets, among others. RIA Advisors’ investment advisory
personnel oversee the algorithm but may not monitor each client’s account. Clients are
encouraged to update their account/questionnaire with any change in their objectives, risk
tolerance, or other pertinent information as that information factors into the portfolio’s
composition.
Financial Planning
RIA Advisors will create a financial plan covering the following areas:
A) Fundamentals-Budgeting, Net Worth Statement, and Cash Flow Analysis;
B) Investment Planning-Determine risk tolerance, create investment strategy for each
goal, provide recommendations on company retirement plan;
C) Risk Analysis-Insurance review of all policies covering Life, Health, Property, and
Casualty to ensure adequate coverage at competitive prices;
D) Income Tax Planning-Review overall tax strategy as it pertains to small business,
investment vehicles, and account tax status;
E) Estate Planning-Review will and make sure account registration reflects strategy
contained in will. Discuss life planning events and create estate strategy around
those events.
Plan Services
RIA Advisors will provide tax-qualified employee retirement plans (“Client”) with continuous
and regular supervisory or management services as set forth below in connection with the
securities, cash and or other investments (the “Account Assets”) held from time to time in
the Account. RIA Advisors shall provide such services to Client, on a non-discretionary
basis, and in accordance with the objectives as heretofore specified by Client, and in
accordance with the Investment Policy Statement of the Plan (“IPS”). Additionally, RIA
Advisors shall make recommendations, consistent with the IPS, as to diversified menu of
investment funds to be offered to Plan Participants and beneficiaries covered by the Plan.
From time to time, Client and RIA Advisors may amend, modify, or revise the below services
as needed to reflect, on a prospective basis, changes in the description of services.
Services to be provided:
A) Creation of customized Investment Policy Statement- Creation of due diligence
procedures for adding or removing an investment from platform;
B) Annual review of Investment Policy Statement;
C) Creation of Education Policy Statement-decide the content, method and
frequency of distribution to plan participants;
D) Annual review of Education Policy Statement-Review for potential refinement
or updating of material;
E) Annual review of QDIA to ensure compliance with DOL and ERISA standards;
F) Plan design consultations as needed to keep up with industry changes;
G) Comprehensive service provider review annually-cost benefit analysis of all
service providers including RIA Advisors. Review of cost to ensure competitive
pricing compared to industry;
H) Annual SAFE review- Self-Assessment of Fiduciary Excellence (SAFE) and
Consultant’s Assessment of Fiduciary Excellence (CAFE). SAFE is a review of
understanding of fiduciary care a form of a self-audit;
I) Review of Fidelity Bond-Should have policy that allows incremental increases
as the plan grows. If not will provide annual assessment to see if more coverage
is needed;
J) Annual testing results of plan- Goal is to have 80% employee participation and
will recommend strategies to reach goal;
K) Quarterly review of plan- Review investments on platform, confirmation of
annual notices sent to participants, review changes of retirement plan
contribution limits and ensure TPA has necessary information for filing;
L) Continual Fiduciary education of 401k committee;
M) Continual Employee education- will work in partnership with plan service
provider to maintain continuity;
N) One on one participant consultations in person or over the phone;
O) One on one consultation with terminated employees to provide education
around the choices they have.
ERISA Fiduciary
The Adviser provides advisory services, which include providing retirement Plan
Sponsors or other plan fiduciaries (“Plan Sponsors”) investment advisory and
management services by assisting plans in establishing and/or maintaining a consistent
and ongoing documented process of prudent oversight and due diligence. The Adviser
provides services to clients that sponsor a retirement plan that is qualified under the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “IRC”) and/or subject to the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). Services may include benchmarking,
plan design strategies, analysis, fiduciary consulting and oversight, plan level investment
advice and investment fund selection and monitoring services, and some employee
education services. In regard to fund selection, the Adviser employs the fi360’s research
and analytical analysis to score mutual funds as part of its selection process.
The Adviser does not act as, and has not agreed to assume the duties of, a Plan trustee
or the “Plan Administrator,” as defined under section 3(16) of ERISA nor as trustee as
described by SEC Rule 206(4)-2. The Adviser has no discretion to interpret the Plan
documents, to determine eligibility or participation under the Plan, to provide participant
disclosures or communications, to ensure contributions are timely received by the Plan
or to exercise any other action with respect to the management, administration or any
other aspect of the Plan.
The Adviser’s services are offered to assist plan fiduciaries as they carry out their
investment related responsibilities and these services should not substitute for or diminish
the careful deliberation and determination of plan fiduciaries, after appropriate
consultation with their other professional advisers and the review of relevant plan
documentation.
Non-Discretionary 3(21) Fiduciary Services
When the Adviser performs “3(21) Fiduciary Services,” the Adviser will act as a co-
fiduciary “investment adviser” that provides “investment advice” as defined under Section
3(21) of ERISA. Under this arrangement, the Adviser is appointed by the plan sponsor or
trustee to determine a recommended lineup of investments to be included in the Plan.
These recommendations are presented to the Plan Sponsor, who has the ultimate
responsibility to accept or reject the recommendation. The Adviser will not have any
further responsibility to communicate instructions to any third‐party, including the
custodian, and/or third‐party administrator. The Adviser will not communicate directly with
the recordkeeper regarding administrative and recordkeeping matters arising under the
Adviser’s investment advisory agreement with the Plan Sponsor, or more generally about
the recordkeeper’s services to the Plan.
The Adviser will provide the Plan Sponsor with a sample investment policy statement.
Each retirement Plan Sponsor should adopt a final investment policy statement (“IPS”)
which serves as a guide for the Adviser’s investment advisory services. The Adviser offers
the following 3(21) services:
• Investment screening
• The selection of replacement funds to which existing Plan balances may be
transferred
• Assisting clients to finalize a Plan’s investment lineup of funds available for
investment by Plan participants and used for other administrative purposes under
the Plan
• Assisting clients with electing a “qualified default investment alternative” as defined
in section 404(c)(5) of ERISA
• Quarterly plan review meetings – including review of Investment Funds
In the Adviser’s capacity as a 3(21) plan fiduciary, they will conduct research to determine
appropriate investment selections and allocations and to project potential ranges of
returns and market values over various time periods and using various cash flows to
assist the Plan Sponsor in determining the appropriate investment options for the
retirement plan.
The data used to select the investment options is based on estimated, forward-looking
performance of various asset classes and subclasses to create our forward-looking capital
markets assumptions (e.g., expected return, expected standard deviation, correlation,
etc.). Past performance and the return estimates of the asset classes and the indices that
correspond to these asset classes may not be representative of actual future
performance. Actual results could differ, based on various factors including the expenses
associated with the management of the portfolio, the portfolio’s securities versus the
securities comprising the various indices and general market conditions. Before a specific
investment is selected, other factors such as economic trends, which may influence the
choice of investments and risk tolerance, should be considered. The Adviser has the
responsibility and authority to recommend the investment line up including evaluating
investment managers and mutual fund companies, individual mutual funds, and money
market funds which may be retained or replaced. The Plan Sponsor has the responsibility
and authority to make the final decision regarding what investments to include and when
to add or exclude a specific security.
Back Office Support
RIA Advisors provides RIA Wealth, an unaffiliated investment adviser, with back-office operational
services, including daily account reconciliation, asset transfers, billing and other back-office
functions.
Wrap Program
Adviser does not participate in any wrap fee programs.