The RPAG Scoop | May 2024

Springtime is in full swing and the May RPAG Scoop is in bloom ready for you to join us in smelling the sweet scent of retirement planning success. In this month's edition, we have our Director of New Business Development to walk you through new updates and resources with RPAG and our Chief Investment Officer to give you the inside "scoop" with the markets.

What's New with RPAG! (0:43) 
Luke Vandermillen Jr., our Director of New Business Development went through some great resources that you have access to as well as new updates with content and events. If you are ever in the RPAG portal and have a question about any of our resources, you can contact us through email, phone, or through the new "Ask RPAG" feature. More RPAG content can also be found on our YouTube channel with new videos coming out weekly including the Quarterly Market Reviews, The RPAG Scoop, and on demand digital sessions with industry experts. 

Luke took the time to thank all of our Regional Summit attendees for taking time out of their busy schedules to travel to one of our four Summit cities. If you didn't get to attend, watch our Summit highlight reel on our YouTube. We will also be rolling the recordings out over the next several weeks, so keep an eye out, and subscribe to our channel for the latest updates! 

We get asked consistently: "What are the resources that I have that I am not using enough?" Luke believes that our Batch Reporting feature under the Scorecard System tab in the RPAG Portal is an underutilized resource. It groups all the funds that are in the lineups for the plans that you have selected into the three different categories defined by the RPAG scoring methodology and allows you to make fund recommendations for all of the funds in those plans. You can also schedule those reports to run automatically on the date of your choosing. It takes your reporting process from weeks or days to just a few minutes and the best part is it is included in your RPAG membership! 

Don't forget to watch for our biweekly tech enhancements on our blog and our YouTube channel hosted by our Digital Marketing Specialist, Melody! We also post these on our social media, so follow us on your favorite platforms (including Instagram) to stay up to date.

Soft Landing or Soft-Serve? (13:49)
Our Chief Investment Officer, Jeff Elvander focuses on the concept of a "soft landing" in the economy and the role of the Federal Reserve in controlling inflation without triggering a recession. He analyzes historical inflation data, indicating that both headline CPI and core CPI are currently below the 50-year average, suggesting that the Fed has been effective in managing inflation. However, there are concerns about market volatility and speculation regarding potential rate hikes by the Fed.

The analogy of ice cream and soft serve is used to illustrate the role of air in preventing inflation from decreasing, emphasizing the challenges the Fed faces in achieving a soft landing. Additionally, flexPATH announces the launch of Core Plus III, a new CIT managed with Fidelity's total bond strategy, offering competitive advantages at the lowest cost in the market. Furthermore, flexPATH Strategies seeks input on potential CIT offerings in the multi-sector or high-yield space, inviting comments and suggestions from viewers on their YouTube channel.

Have a great May and see you June 3 for the next RPAG Scoop! 

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