Rowling & Associates' InStrategy Experiencing Growing Momentum in Pandemic Times
Outsourcing investment research and adopting ESG investing themes resonating with RIAs as they look to respond to market volatility, right-size their businesses and meet new client expectations
SAN DIEGO, May 11, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Rowling & Associates, a multiple award-winning independent wealth management firm announced today the growing momentum in its outsourced investment management research platform, InStrategy, during the Coronavirus pandemic.
As independent RIAs experience declining revenues from the "Corona Crash" related market volatility, many are conducting internal business reviews to find ways to lower costs, become more efficient and enhance their investment offerings to better attract and retain clients. Additionally, many firms are adopting ESG investing themes as ESG related investments have performed well during the crisis and are well positioned to benefit from the inevitable market rebounds as the economy begins to recover.
"We designed InStrategy as an innovative way for RIAs to be able to benefit from our research on investment management and our time-tested approach to managing portfolios," said Sheryl Rowling, CEO and founder of award-winning Rowling & Associates. "In times like these, advisors' business models are put to the test and we are extremely pleased to see the growing results in InStrategy as an alternative solution for firms to adopt vs. trying to manage on their own in these extremely unique and volatile times."
Recent research conducted by Rowling & Associates found that funds with ESG factors considered performed equally as well as benchmark funds, however, those funds with an ESG tilt had lower volatility, resulting in superior, long-term risk-adjusted returns. According to multiple analyses and articles, ESG investments have done as well in comparison to benchmarks during the recent dramatic market drop.
"When we first began researching ESG investing, we were responding to client objectives that their investments were aligned with their values," said Rowling, "As part of that process, we realized that integrating ESG analysis into investing also gives fund managers a powerful data source to determine whether a holding is a good investment or not; and as a result, our research has shown that considering ESG factors when investing can lead to better long-term risk-adjusted performance."
"As a result of this research, we have moved all of our clients to ESG portfolios and our clients are experiencing the benefits, particularly in these volatile times," said Lorenzo Sanchez, Director of Wealth Management for Rowling & Associates.
InStrategy is an outsourced "CIO" tax-efficient investment strategy and research service that provides quantitative and qualitative methods used for identifying preferred mutual funds and portfolio models for independent advisors, based on Modern Portfolio Theory. The research service is offered to advisors at a low fixed fee of $6,000, a very disruptive price point.
InStrategy includes asset allocation models, preferred mutual fund buy lists, tax loss harvesting fund buy lists, rebalancing software settings, building block models, detailed fund analyses, ESG preferred funds, and 529 plan analysis all under a white labeled platform that advisors can leverage for presentations, quarterly letters, and timely client emails.
"The interest in InStrategy from advisors has been quite robust" said Rowling. "In the first week of the quarantines we have received more applications than we did all of last year. We are excited to expand InStrategy with ESG investment themes while providing advisors with operational efficiencies and a compelling marketing message so that they can continue to grow their businesses during these interesting times."
To learn more about InStrategy, please log onto https://InStrategy.Rowling.com and to learn more about Rowling & Associates movement to ESG investing, please read this recent article authored by Sheryl Rowling https://www.morningstar.com/articles/963210/why-we-incorporated-esg-into-our-practice.
About Sheryl Rowling
Sheryl Rowling has been providing fee-only tax and financial planning advice since 1979. She is the founder and principal of Rowling & Associates with professional credentials including Certified Public Accountant and Personal Financial Specialist. Active in her field, Sheryl has been named one of the nation's top 250 financial advisors by Worth magazine and has been included as one of Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting, and most recently recognized as one of the industry's "Icons and Innovators" by Investment News. Previously, Sheryl managed tax departments at Arthur Young & Company and two multi-million-dollar corporations. She holds an MBA in finance and a BS in accounting from San Diego State University.
About Rowling & Associates
Rowling & Associates provides fee-only, tax-efficient financial planning and investment advice. The firm doesn't earn commissions on any recommendations and adheres to strict fiduciary standards. Prestigious designations held at the firm include Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®). To learn more, log onto http://www.rowling.com
SOURCE Rowling & Associates
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