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Sharebuilder 401k
Stuart Robertson founded Sharebuilder 401k in 2007, initially building the firm as a subsidiary of ING before it passed to Capital One's ownership.
Sharebuilder 401k
Stuart Robertson founded Sharebuilder 401k in 2007, initially building the firm as a subsidiary of ING before it passed to Capital One's ownership. In 2020, Robertson executed a management buyout that returned the company to independent control and re-established it as a registered investment advisor under Delaware law. The firm has since operated from Seattle without external institutional backing. The firm delivers retirement-plan products designed explicitly for small and medium-sized businesses, including model-portfolio construction and commodity-ETF exposure accessible to plan participants. Its service model covers the self-employed through mid-market employers, with plan-administration, recordkeeping and fiduciary support provided under a single RIA roof. Following the 2020 buyout, Robertson remains CEO and principal owner. The firm maintains professional affiliations — he contributes to the Forbes Finance Council and participates in the Estate Planning Council of Seattle — but publicly discloses no adjacent vehicles, philanthropic foundations or external club memberships. The 2020 management buyout is the firm's structural differentiator: few retirement-plan providers of its vintage have transitioned from captive bank subsidiary to founder-owned RIA. That governance change reset the firm's fiduciary posture and aligned equity entirely with its operating CEO, an arrangement distinct from both PE-backed roll-up platforms and mutual-company competitors.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
2007
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Seattle
Corporate office
Seattle, WA, United States
Principals
Stuart Robertson
CEO and Principal Owner
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Sharebuilder 401k?
Stuart Robertson, the founder and CEO, is the principal owner and drives the firm's direction. As a structured RIA, day-to-day investment management is embedded in its model portfolios and fund lineups, not delegated to a separate CIO. The firm has not publicly named a dedicated investment-committee head.
How is Sharebuilder 401k structured after the Capital One separation?
The firm is a Delaware-registered LLC and SEC-registered investment advisor, wholly owned by Stuart Robertson following the 2020 management buyout. It is no longer a subsidiary of any financial conglomerate, operating independently from its single Seattle office.
What does Sharebuilder 401k offer beyond standard 401k administration?
Beyond core recordkeeping and administration, the firm constructs model portfolios and provides commodity ETF exposure for plan participants. Its platform targets simplicity and cost transparency for small-to-mid-sized plan sponsors.
Does Sharebuilder 401k participate in fund commitments or direct deals?
No. Sharebuilder 401k is a retirement-plan provider and RIA, not an institutional LP. Its investment programs are limited to the fund menus and model portfolios offered to its 401k-plan clients.
Which regulatory framework governs Sharebuilder 401k?
As a registered investment advisor, the firm operates under SEC oversight and ERISA fiduciary standards for its 401k-plan clients. Its LLC structure is incorporated under Delaware law.
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