News Release
March 23, 2006
Reporters may contact:
Tom Gariepy -- (617) 346-3467
tom.gariepy@bankofamerica.com
BOSTON - Columbia Management, the primary investment management arm of Bank of America, in partnership with the Retirement Learning Center, LLC, today announced the launch of the Columbia Management Retirement Learning Center—a comprehensive support program for financial advisors and other investment professionals who want to provide their clients with effective retirement and rollover strategies.
The Columbia Management Retirement Learning Center is designed to satisfy the need for a multi-dimensional, ready resource to help advisors increase their knowledge and productivity in the retirement plan and rollover marketplace. To accomplish those goals, Columbia Management Retirement Learning Center, in conjunction with the Retirement Learning Center, an organization of retirement information specialists based in Brainerd, MN, is providing targeted retirement plan education, understandable ERISA guidance, and practical and actionable business-building tools and training.
“The Columbia Management Retirement Learning Center is our way of providing an exclusive, critical service to financial advisors,” said Donald Froude, head of intermediary distribution. “Retirement planning is a complex part of an investor’s complete financial profile. Through this resource, we can give our partners useful and up-to-date information and materials so they can help provide strategies for their clients.”
The Retirement Learning Center’s proprietary program provides expert keynote speakers; extensive content development on technical topics delivered in a variety of printed and electronic formats; and focused education and training for wholesalers and members of Columbia Management’s internal sales staff. It also includes dedicated advisor support through the “Rollover Resource Desk,” a resource staffed by experts with more than 80 years of combined experience in the retirement industry. The desk is designed specifically to help financial intermediaries who are interested in developing that portion of their business devoted to the rollover of retirement plans.
Among the subjects covered by the Retirement Learning Center experts are IRA consolidations, lump sum distributions from defined benefit plans, net unrealized appreciation, in-service transfers, 403(b) plan transfers, 457 government plan rollovers, wealth harvesting and income strategies.
“The Retirement Learning Center, LLC, is dedicated to delivering independent thought leadership on emerging trends, issues and technical matters in the retirement space,” explained John Carl, President of Retirement Learning Center, LLC. “Our partnership with Columbia Management exemplifies their commitment to supporting the financial advisor community in the all-important and ever-changing retirement and rollover marketplace.”
Columbia Management, based in Boston, MA, is the primary investment management organization of Bank of America. Columbia Management offers products across an array of major asset classes and investment styles available to individual and institutional investors. With $361.11 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2005, Columbia Management is focused on delivering strong investment performance and superior client service.
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 38 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 5,800 retail banking offices, more than 16,700 ATMs and award-winning online banking with more than 14 million active users. Bank of America is the No. 1 overall Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the United States and the No. 1 SBA lender to minority-owned small businesses. The company serves clients in 150 countries and has relationships with 97 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 79 percent of the Global Fortune 500. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
www.bankofamerica.com
1 Columbia Management’s managed assets consist of assets under the discretionary management of multiple registered investment advisors, including Columbia Management Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser and wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America, N.A.
Columbia management Distributors, Inc. does not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult a tax advisor or tax attorney for specific tax or legal advice.
Columbia Management is the primary investment management division of Bank of America Corporation. Columbia Management entities furnish investment management services and advise institutional and mutual fund portfolios. Columbia Funds are distributed by Columbia Management Distributors, Inc, member FINRA, SIPC. Columbia Management Distributors, Inc., is part of Columbia Management and an affiliate of Bank of America Corporation.
NOT FDIC INSURED * May lose value * No bank guarantee
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