In an interview with Bloomberg, Salim Ramji, Blackrock’s global head of iShares and index investments, spoke about the growth of model portfolios, and why he believes that assets under management (AUM) are projected to more than double over the next 5 years from $4.2 trillion to over $10 trillion.

Ramji commented that “It’s going to be massive. It’s the way in which more and more fiduciary advisers are doing business, and, as a result, that’s the way in which we’re doing business with them. It’s really just changed from being a cottage industry to being something that’s a real force for every fiduciary wealth adviser in the United States.” 

Model portfolios are typically composed of ETFs and other funds that are bundled into pre-built strategies. An indication of the growth of model portfolios is that changes in allocations can be seen in trading volumes and fund flows data. For iShares, model portfolios comprise more than half of flows, while they accounted for a third of flows 2 years ago. The company expects similar traction for model portfolios in its international markets as well.

Blackrock’s bullishness on model portfolios is noteworthy as it is the largest asset manager in the world with $9 trillion in AUM and also the largest ETF issuer. 

Finsum: Blackrock is forecasting that assets under management for model portfolios will exceed $10 trillion over the next 5 years. 

As the year comes to a close, it presents an opportune moment for financial advisors to revisit strategies and offer valuable advice to clients. A timely topic is tax loss harvesting. And direct indexing is becoming a popular way for investors to accomplish this. Therefore, now is a great time to consider introducing the concept of direct indexing to your clients.

The Value of Tax Loss Harvesting

Tax loss harvesting is a technique that can reduce taxable income by selling securities that have incurred a loss. As we approach year-end, this tax-saving tactic may be appropriate for some of your clients, yet you need a convenient way to make these trades without upsetting their entire portfolio. Direct indexing allows you to accomplish this task.

Direct Indexing: No Longer Just for the Elite

Direct indexing, which involves buying individual stocks directly rather than through a fund, enhances the ability to tax loss harvest. While it's not a new concept, it's becoming more accessible to a broader range of investors. As author Medora Lee pointed out in her recent article in USA Today, "(direct indexing) was once mostly reserved for the affluent with at least $1 million to invest." But things are changing. "With better technology and zero- or low-commission trading now the norm, more people can use direct indexing."

Embracing the potential of direct indexing and tax loss harvesting is another way to demonstrate your value to your clients.

As recently reported by PlanAdviser.com, payroll giant ADP has collaborated with Morningstar to introduce a proprietary managed accounts product to their over 100,000 DC recordkeeping clients. Morningstar emphasized the complexities today's plan participants face in retirement savings, particularly given the backdrop of high inflation and market volatility, which can be especially challenging f or those employed by smaller firms.

Chris Magno, Senior Vice President and General Manager of ADP Retirement Services, underscored the sentiment, stating, "Every retirement plan, irrespective of its scale, deserves access to tailored advice on a large scale."

It's clear why the availability of managed accounts continues to spread. Historically, DC plans have often presented their participants with two primary investment avenues: self-managing their portfolios or selecting predefined options like target date or balanced funds. Managed accounts, however, introduce a third, more collaborative method. These accounts consider not only age and risk preferences but also additional factors, such as assets held by participants outside their 401(k).

Integrating managed accounts can enhance the bond between advisors and participants. Advisors typically play a pivotal role in defining the managed accounts program guidelines and engaging with participants opting for this route. For advisors yet to explore managed accounts, they are worth a closer look. They support the plan sponsor's objective of helping their employees reach a secure retirement while fortifying the advisor's rapport with participants.

Finsum: ADP and Morningstar launch a managed accounts product for DC clients, bridging traditional retirement savings methods with innovative solutions.