PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Fixed Income
In addition to the broad array of fixed income products available through the NFS platform, FAA's trading staff offer personal trading support and are happy to "search the street" to help advisers meet their clients' needs. Such individualized attention represents a distinct advantage over much larger independent firms and traditional wirehouses. Additionally, FAA's traders work exclusively for the adviser and do not operate as a profit center for the firm.
Mutual Funds
FAA has established selling agreements with nearly every major mutual fund family. FAA's list offers a broad breadth of choices from highly regarded no-load families such as Vanguard, Fidelity, Dodge & Cox, and T. Rowe Price, to smaller up and coming or niche fund groups, such as Stadion Money Management, Sierra and First Eagle Funds.
Insurance & Annuity Products
FAA performs due diligence on all insurance carriers and has established selling agreements with nearly every major reputable, highly-rated insurance carrier. Further, unlike many competitors, FAA does not "haircut" revenue paid to its advisers from the sale of annuity and insurance products. At FAA, the payout grid truly reflects the actual percentage payout to the adviser. No back office deception, no smoke and mirrors. Imagine that!
Branding and public relations services
FAA's partnership with Cognito Media, a PR and marketing firm specializing in the financial services space, offers a perfect example of the kind of innovative thinking that distinguishes us from our industry peers. Through this partnership, successful advisers have ongoing access to world class branding, marketing, and advertising expertise. While some B-Ds are interested in promoting their own brands, at FAA, the only brand we are interested in promoting is yours.
401(k) Consulting and Fiduciary Services
For advisers who are seeking a competitive advantage in the qualified plan space, FAA has developed a unique internal resource that enables its affiliated advisers to compete effectively against any institutional platform. FAA's in-house resources address all aspects of qualified plan business including customized plan design and administration, extremely competitive pricing, and an unrivaled investment choice. This program also enables advisers to effectively address the many new challenges of today's heightened regulatory environment. In partnership with FAA, you may provide services to 401(k) and pension plans on a flat fee basis (you must be registered as an IA). The program also enables the adviser to retain experts who may serve as co-fiduciaries to monitor plan investments, write investment policy statements, assist in enrollment, provide participant education, and other value- added services.
Banking Solutions
To give its advisers a competitive edge in cash management, FAA has entered into a joint marketing agreement with a leading FDIC insured internet bank. Through this agreement, FAA affiliated advisers are permitted to offer a range of products including individual and business savings, checking and money market accounts, certificates of deposit, foreign currency deposit accounts, and more. For advisers who may be frustrated with money market mutual funds and low-yielding bank deposit sweep programs or who may be experiencing outflows of cash to local banks and credit unions, this program adds a veritable golden arrow to the standard product quiver.
Alternative Investments
FAA recognizes the importance of offering non-traditional investment products and also understands the unique risks associated with many of these products. Prospective advisers should understand that FAA takes its due diligence responsibilities seriously, and believes it is a credit to the firm's concern for clients that it typically rejects more selling agreement offers from direct participation programs, managed futures, hedge funds/private equity, and the like than it signs.