About ClearPath Retirement Partners

Our approach to providing retirement plan advice is different, will reduce fiduciary risk, cost and time. We understand employers are looking to achieve greater results with fewer resources and more demands on their time. That's why our fiduciary process is designed to deliver measurable improvements across all parts of a plan. Our integrity and personal commitment to achieve these results are grounded in our Experience, Independence and Resources.

Experience

Our unique knowledge of the retirement plan industry is a result of over 40 years of combined experience. We have assisted over 500 clients while having worked within many types of retirement plan service providers; mutual fund companies, insurance companies, banks, a consulting firm, investment management firm and a payroll provider. Learn More >

Independence

We acknowledge that, when providing investment advice to a qualified plan, we are acting in a fiduciary capacity. As a result of our status as a functional fiduciary, we are prohibited from accepting additional compensation from other parties who provide products and services. Therefore, by acknowledging our status as a fiduciary status, we are agreeing to abide by the heightened duty of loyalty required under ERISA. Learn More >

Resources

We utilize state-of-the-art investment research, analysis and reporting technology covering over 1,000 data points on more than 363,000 investment products, and we have access to over 125 investment research analysts. Additionally, we utilize the most comprehensive plan benchmarking technology that examines and compares over 300 data points across all parts of a retirement plan. We are part of a network of more than 6,000 retirement plan professionals and ERISA experts as a member of the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries.
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Patrick Coughlin

Patrick Coughlin, AIF®
Managing Principal
Patrick has helped many employers with improving investments, plan design, compliance, plan operations and employee communications within qualified and non-qualified plans. He managed a team of plan conversion specialists and coordinated resources for clients, including; legal, recordkeeping and employee education. He also assisted large financial institutions with analyzing and selecting investment management and participant recordkeeping systems. Patrick enjoys triathlons, cycling and skiing and has two children; Erin and Sean.

Walt Melcher, QPFC, AIF®
Managing Principal
Walt has assisted many employers with improving their retirement plans and helping implement new services; investments, employee education, compliance and automating payroll/HRIS with retirement plan administration. He helped design and implement trading, custody and investment revenue processing solutions for retirement plan providers. He also worked with institutional investors and their consultants regarding separate account investment management. Walt enjoys skiing, golf and soccer, is married to Kelly and has 2 boys.

Experience

We've assisted hundreds of employers in these ways;

  • Consulted with retirement plan committees
  • Designed employee education campaigns
  • Evaluated many types of vendors' fees and services
  • Educated fiduciaries on their responsibilities and industry trends

Outcomes

  • Ability to identify all fees and negotiate lower costs
  • More impactful targeted employee education
  • Help reduce time spent administering the plan
  • Better advocates for our clients with vendors

Independence

  • Unbiased interpretation of relevant data
  • Prudent advice governed by high ethical standards
  • No Conflict of Interest Policy Statement
  • Compliant with ERISA disclosure requirements

Benefit

  • Unrestricted access to vendors and investments
  • Helps prevent fiduciary prohibited transactions
  • Reduces fiduciary liability
  • Motivated to act in our client's best interests
  • Full disclosure of all fees

Resources

  • State-of-the-art performance analysis and reporting technology
  • Benchmarking tools examine over 300 data points on your plan
  • Open architecture investment analysis and design

Benefit

  • Optimizes investment selection, ongoing evaluations and reporting
  • Identifies best practices, new ideas and trends
  • Continuous education, training and updates
  • Ability to evaluate and compare all fees and services to help determine reasonableness

Active Members of Associations

  • Colorado Human Resource Association
  • American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries
  • Colorado Western Pension & Benefits Conference
  • Foundation for Fiduciary Studies
  • Investment Management Consultants Association