Ibbotson and Wiesenberger are joining to provide a system that...

Ibbotson and Wiesenberger are joining to provide a system that integrates Ibbotson’s investment advice software program with Wiesenberger’s Architec(k), an Internet-based 401(k) education and planning tool, said Mike Henkel, Ibbotson president. The system, called Architec(k), will take participants through online education and planning, deliver investment advice from Ibbotson, allow them to make decisions and provide instructions for plan providers to help them implement those decisions, he said. Mr. Henkel said he expects the system to be included in a bundled provider’s array of plan services. However, Ibbotson will provide the investment advice component only to plan providers that have obtained prohibited transaction exemptions from the Department of Labor. To those without exemptions, Ibbotson and Wiesenberger will limit the service to education only.