TCG Consulting, LP / First Financial

First Financial: Employee Benefits and Administrative Services

TCG has been working with OMNIA Partners/Region 4 ESC Co-op for over 15 years to provide investment and retirement plan administration services. Today, TCG and First Financial Group of America (FFGA) work together to provide the employee benefits through this contract. TCG still handles all the retirement services and plans and FFGA provides the Section 125 benefit plans and services for the Co-op. 

TCG was established to meet the unique needs of school administrators and government employers who are facing challenges like growing populations, shrinking budgets, and stringent compliance standards. We provide retirement plan administration, institutional investment advice, financial wellness, and cyber security solutions for organizations of all sizes.

Today, TCG is proud to serve over 900 active plans, managing over $3.2 billion and administering over $10 billion. Our focus is to provide independent, objective advice and asset management, helping provide peace of mind in an otherwise hectic environment.

• We provide sophisticated investing, consulting, and retirement plan solutions
• We act as fiduciaries with a legal duty to act in our clients’ best interest
• TCG Is able to act as a third party consultant or as the plan provider
  

First Financial was established in 1969.  We are headquartered in Houston, Texas, and have satellite offices in Texas, New Mexico, North Carolina and Louisiana. First Financial currently services more than 500 School Systems and Government Entities. In September 2016, we teamed up to start working with TCG on the OMNIA Partners / Region 4 ESC 125 Co-op. First Financial provides Section 125 benefit plans and services, while TCG handles all retirement services and plans for the Co-op.

The OMNIA Partners / Region 4 ESC 125 Co-op goes out to bid for the benefit plans every three years and evaluates vendors based on who offers the best benefit plans, value-adds, enrollment ease, electronic capabilities, claims processing and time frame, stability, insurance ratings and performance guarantees

When you work with First Financial, you will receive:

• Tailored value to the employer
• Personalized value to the employee
• Fully-licensed, salaried account managers to educate employees on benefits and assist with enrollment
• Customized benefits packages that fit within your budget

First Financial’s mission is to provide best-in-class customer service with convenient group health solutions and administrative services.

U.S. Communities and National IPA, both wholly-owned subsidiaries of OMNIA Partners, have come together as OMNIA Partners, Public Sector. All public sector participants already registered with National IPA or U.S. Communities continue to have access to all contracts, with certain exceptions, in the portfolio and do not need to re-register to use a legacy National IPA, legacy U.S. Communities, or new OMNIA Partners contract. U.S. Communities and National IPA remain separate legal entities and lead agency contracts completed under each brand are effective and available for use through the contract’s approved term. In the event we believe re-registration is necessary for any reason, OMNIA Partners will let you know.

Managing an organization’s retirement plan involves many moving parts, and the tasks involved can end up taking much of your valuable time. When you partner with TCG, you are collaborating with a team of professionals who leverage experience and technology in an effort to decrease your administrative duties and help enhance the plan participant experience.

TCG Administrators help provide:

• Full-service administration of retirement plans such as 403(b), 457(b), 401(a), 401(k), and FICA Alternative
• Compliance oversight and audit support
• 24/7 online systems for plan sponsors and plan participants

We are proud to offer the Managed Asset Portfolio Program (MAPP)—a service designed to meet the unique financial objectives of school districts and municipalities. We utilize proven strategies managing portfolios to help meet your cash flow needs and help maximize yield. We invest in accordance with the core principles of the Public Funds Investment Act and your local policy.

How we accomplish this:

• We focus on safety, liquidity, and yield
• We create a custom investment strategy based on your organization’s financial picture
• We consistently fine-tune the plan to manage current and future risk

Our goal is to help alleviate you of the administrative burdens normally associated with managing employee retirement plans and investments so you can focus on the higher-level tasks of running your organization. Leave the work to a team of professionals who will work on your behalf and help participants reach closer to a successful retirement.

How we do it:

• We focus on improving participant education & outcomes
• We manage fees, funds, and fiduciary responsibilities
• We keep you informed for all industry trends

Most Americans face financial stress because they spend all their time making money and not nearly enough time managing it properly. Not knowing how to properly budget, allocate, and invest your money is a recipe for financial failure.
We understand that while people of distinct socioeconomic backgrounds face hardship at different respective income levels, financial stress is present and can take a detrimental toll on their personal wellbeing. FinPath provides solutions that help empower individuals of all income backgrounds to save for a secure financial future.
Our team strongly believes the best approach to achieve financial wellness is through continuous education and active engagement with financial coaches that help bridge gaps on complex topics. These same core ideas power FinPath and our mission to improve the financial future of our communities.

The program incorporates the following:

1. Learning Modules

• The first level of service provides users with engaging Learning Modules (available in Spanish) that empowers them to make sound financial decisions. These self-guided modules cover over 25 financial topics, including:
  • TRS
  • Social Security for educators
  • Savings rates
  • Banking
  • Managing debt
  • Impact of interest rates
  • Importance of credit scores
  • Financing higher education
  • Renting vs owning a home
  • Buying a car
  • Taxes
  • Insurances
  • Protecting elderly from fraud

2. Planning Toolkit

• In addition to the features of Base Camp, this plan provides users a platform that assesses their current financial situation and provides actionable steps to help improve it.
• How it works:
  • Participants take a comprehensive assessment and receive a financial health score
  • The system generates a detailed, goal-oriented plan
  • A dashboard of actionable steps to take keeps participants accountable and helps improve their health score
  • Contests and incentives help keep employees engaged (optional)

3. Live Advisor Support

• Connecting your staff members with non-biased Live Support is crucial to their financial health. TCG Financial Wellness Coaches are available for group workshops and assistance via phone, chat, or email.

4. Monthly courses through FinPath University

• Our monthly courses follow a curriculum designed to help people through both the basic and the complex aspects of financial planning. Each course is taught by an advisor for TCG, and the teacher can be made available to any participant for follow-up questions.

TCG provides sophisticated investment and consulting solutions, and we act as fiduciaries with a legal duty to act in our clients’ best interest. Investments are managed by a team of investment professionals on a fee-only basis; we cover everything from pension plans and OPEB trusts to operating funds and bond proceeds management. In addition to investment consulting, we also provide retirement plan consulting and can assist your organization with RFPs, investment menus and plan design, and executive compensation and incentive plan design.

Everything we do with regard to consulting is accomplished in-house by a team of professionals that are dedicated to providing you and your employees with elite customer service.

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