By signing a five-year contract to service the $3 billion ABA Retirement Funds Programme

The institutional plan services division of ING US Retirement Services has extended its relationship with the American Bar Association Retirement Funds by signing a five-year contract to service the $3 billion ABA Retirement Funds Programme, a not-for-profit programme that provides low-cost 401(k) plans and fiduciary oversight to law firms.

According to the agreement, ING will continue to provide complete administration, recordkeeping, compliance and marketing services for the American Bar Association (ABA) Retirement Funds Programme. Services will also include expanded regional sales and client education, an enhanced investments menu with additional index funds, self-directed brokerage and objective, personalised investment advice, along with investment fiduciary services from Northern Trust.

ABA Retirement Funds, formerly American Bar Retirement Association and the affiliated ABA Members Retirement Programme, was established to help the legal community with retirement planning.

Sandra McCarthy, president of ING institutional plan services, said: It has been a privilege for us to play a role in the success and ongoing expansion of the ABA Retirement Funds Programme for more than 16 years. ING will continue to work strategically and proactively to help enable the programme to achieve its goals for growth and for serving the legal community through comprehensive retirement planning solutions.