Strive Asset Management (Strive) has launched its financial education campaign – 5 Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor – to further educate everyday investors about where exactly their money is going in the new year.
Millions of everyday investors entrust their money to wealth managers, 401k plan administrators, and pension funds – yet many don’t know that their stock portfolios or retirement funds could be unintentionally fueling political activism across corporate America through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing and shareholder voting practices.
Without financial transparency, investors run the risk that their money is being used in ways that don’t align with their financial goals. In recent years, large asset managers have used trillions of dollars of capital to advance politically motivated agendas like “racial equity audits,” environmental pledges, and demographic quotas in corporate boardrooms.
Strive suggests that individuals ask five questions to their financial advisors, 401k plan administrators, and/or pension fund board members at the start of this year to ensure that their funds are invested in alignment with their goals:
- Have I invested in any funds that voted my shares in favor of racial equity audits?
- Have I invested in any funds that voted my shares in favor of emissions reduction plans or executive compensation tied to environmental and social goals?
- Have I invested in any funds that systematically underweight companies in any of the following sectors: coal, mining, oil and gas exploration, defense, or firearms?
- Do you use ESG factors in your external fund evaluation process, internal operations, or client portfolio optimization strategies?
- If the answer to any of the above questions is “yes,” can you please inform me of alternative investment options so that I may select funds and portfolios that best align with my own values and long-term financial interests?
“Many Americans are unaware that their funds are being used to promote environmental and social agendas that they do not agree with,” notes Vivek Ramaswamy, Executive Chairman of Strive. “Every investor has the right to know whether their money is being funneled to advance someone else’s agenda. We hope to empower individuals with knowledge so that they can make informed investment decisions.”
