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Investment Advisory

Unbiased partnership with a higher standard of care

Effectively managing your credit union's investment portfolio can be a complex and demanding job, even more so in a challenging rate environment. We can provide relief by leveraging our experience to deftly navigate the market and help you enhance your portfolio performance. Accolade is a registered investment advisor with a fiduciary obligation to our clients.

When choosing how to manage your investment portfolio, it is crucial to understand the difference between working with a broker and hiring a fiduciary adviser.

Brokers are held to a suitability standard of care.
They can only recommend investments that are appropriate or permissible for a credit union investor.

Brokers typically earn commissions on the investment products they sell.
Consequently, conflicts of interest may arise when a broker may recommend investments that pay the best commission in lieu of what’s best for the client.

Fiduciary advisers are held to stricter rules.
They have the same suitability requirement and take it a step further by legally requiring the adviser to act in the best interest of the client.

Fiduciary advisers can only be paid through fee-based compensation. 
This arrangement is designed to eliminate conflicts of interest on investment recommendations and other strategy decisions.

Your portfolio guided by our experience

Our Investment Advisory service is comprehensive, performing all related policy development, portfolio management, bond accounting, and security safekeeping as well as regulatory and board reporting.

 

Strategy

Our goal is to identify strategies and solutions to help credit unions enhance their portfolio and balance sheet, manage risk, and gain confidence.

 

Research

Thorough analysis of market conditions and deep understanding of permissible asset classes help ensure you receive the most suitable recommendations.

 

Value

We leverage relationships with multiple broker in order to provide strategic recommendations. 

 

Delivery

Advisers manage and assist in all back office operations such as safekeeping and investment accounting so you can stay focused on your members.

To start, we work with your management team to understand your balance sheet objectives and constraints. That information allows us to identify the strategies and solutions to help reach your credit union’s goals. Our team will provide pre-purchase recommendations, execute any trades, prepare and submit security safekeeping, and perform the investment accounting. You can leverage the knowledge and experience of our staff while maintaining ownership of the portfolio.