James L. Hart

"My passion and the reason I get up in the morning is by adhering to an overarching goal of helping plan administrators, plan sponsors, and plan committees achieve positive participant outcomes. I am so passionate about this; I helped develop the "Participant Standard."

As a Financial Advisor and Retirement Plan Consultant, James brings 10+ years of industry experience to StrategIQ. James helps business leaders organize, formalize, implement, and monitor all crucial elements in achieving fiduciary excellence with their retirement plans. James helps these individuals and organizations in these areas.

• Making participant success the plan's top priority.
• Assuring that education is made available to all participants.
• Constructing a financial wellness strategy that reaches all participants.
• Working with plan sponsors to meet their ERISA and IRS notice requirements. 
• Organize, formalize and analyze investments to ensure participants have access to best-in-breed options that fit the plan's unique demographics.
• ESG (Environmental Social Governance). 
• Achievement of positive outcomes for participants.

James' professional responsibilities include Investment Analysis, Fiduciary Education, Employee Education & Enrollment, Plan Governance, and Regulatory Guidance. James acts as a fiduciary in every client engagement and is a strong independent voice in dealing with participants, plan committees, record keepers, third-party administrators (TPA), auditors, and custodians. 

James is an (AIFA®) Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst®. James is certified to perform fiduciary assessments on internal policies, procedures, and workflows to verify or certify an entity's conformity to a "Global Fiduciary Standard of Excellence." 

What makes an AIFA® Designee like James different from other Advisors? Only Advisors who have earned the AIFA® Designation are formally recognized by the Center for Fiduciary Studies™ for demonstrating a full understanding of how to implement those processes needed to help institutional clients fulfill their fiduciary obligations.

AIFA® Designees are able to use the knowledge and resources they have gained through their training to:

• Evaluate your organization's current fiduciary practices and recommend actions that address risk areas and help ensure compliance with applicable state and federal statutes and regulations. 
• Create and maintain a comprehensive investment policy statement that documents all of the processes and procedures that will be used to manage your portfolio.
• Analyze and optimize your portfolio's asset allocation strategy to better align with the plan or fund's specific investment objective or the demographic needs of plan participants. 
• Apply objective standards for evaluating and recommending appropriate investment options for your portfolio. 
• Monitor and report performance of your portfolio and its underlying investments on an ongoing basis and recommending changes, when necessary. 
• Serve as a resource for education and assistance to help you understand and fulfill your fiduciary obligations with greater confidence.

In addition to providing fiduciary guidance and assistance, many AIFA® Designees also take on the fiduciary responsibility for managing assets in a retirement plan or endowment. That removes the burden of the day-to-day management of those assets from a client's shoulders.

James is also an AIF® (Accredited Investment Fiduciary®) Designee. The AIF® designation is awarded by fi360, the leading fiduciary training and resources organization in the United States. Attainment of the AIF® designation signifies knowledge of, and focus on, all of the components of a comprehensive investment process, the fiduciary standard of care, and a commitment to excellence.  

Whether you are managing an existing retirement plan or starting a new one, navigating your fiduciary responsibilities can be overwhelming. Contact James at StrategIQ Financial Group and get the highest standard for your retirement plan, helping to ensure positive participant outcomes. 

James enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, and their dog Barry up at their lake house in North Webster, IN. He enjoys being outdoors with nature, boating, and watching hockey. During the summer you can find James at his Weber Grill cooking up new recipes for family and friends.

James’s Qualifications

• Education
  • Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Valparaiso University, 2011
  • The College for Financial Planning Program, Expected Completion 2022
• Professional designations
  • *CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
  • Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®)
  • Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst® (AIFA®)