401(k) Specialist, the only website, magazine and e-newsletters dedicated exclusively to helping financial advisors ensure a secure retirement for hardworking Americans through the 401(k), has named Brad Arends, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of intellicents, as the ‘Top Advisor by Participant Outcomes’ for May 2019.

“We spend all this time worrying about fiduciary governance, but fund performance, low fees, and high participation rates do not assure retirement success…and isn’t that why we have retirement plans in the first place?” commented Arends. “Our entire business model is centered on outcomes. It’s what intellicents is all about – it’s our passion. This really is a total team effort, and it’s wonderful for our team to receive national recognition for the path we are on.”

Every year intellicents gets a download of participant data from the plan’s recordkeeper and creates a detailed retirement readiness report for each plan participant. It projects how much they are going to need at retirement to maintain their same standard of living in combination with their Social Security benefits and their retirement program. It then tells them whether or not they are presently on track for success, and what actions they need to take to improve their outcome.

intellicents then creates an annual aggregate retirement readiness report for each client, detailing what percent of their workforce is on track to retire on time and with enough money. They then can also calculate the employer’s hidden cost for delayed retirements. “This is part of our five-step process for a retirement program that really works”, added Arends. “Participant education and advice campaigns can then be designed to improve their outcome metric. Our most progressive clients have even added employer-paid holistic financial planning as part of their worksite financial wellness programs to move the dial.

The 401(k) Specialist editorial staff selects and profiles the Top Advisor by Participant Outcomes (TAPO) each month—a 401(k) advisor who proves superior knowledge, innovation and exceptional achievements specifically in the area of participant outcomes. All monthly TAPO recipients are celebrated prior to the selection of the overall ‘2019 Top Advisor’ in a ceremony at the opening general session of the Excel 401(k): The Advisors’ Conference, to be held October 27 - 29, 2019, in Dallas, Texas.

intellicents is reimagining financial services for employers and individuals. Through retirement plan design and fiduciary investment consulting, personal financial management, group insurance, and worksite financial wellness services they are paving a smarter way for the American worker and their employer. With headquarters in Albert Lea, Minnesota, and branch offices in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Des Moines, Pella, and Lake Mills, Iowa, Leawood, Kansas, Tacoma, Washington, Denver, Colorado, and now Dallas, Texas, they serve over 300 employers, with 46,000 participants, and almost $4 billion in assets under management and advisement.