The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), today announced that LPL Financial’s Worksite Financial Solutions platform will be integrated as an additional feature available for LPL financial professionals to utilize with The Guardian Choice® and The Guardian Advantage® products. The platform is focused on new solutions that will enable retirement plan sponsors and financial professionals to better address the needs of plan participants throughout their financial lives, from the date of hire, to separation and beyond.

GIAC’s plan sponsor clients working with LPL Financial LLC, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer, an RIA custodian, and a wholly owned subsidiary of LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LPLA), will now have access to LPL’s Worksite Financial Solutions platform’s Employee Transition and Engagement Solutions. The alliance will assist plan participants with the efficient enrollment of employees into retirement plans and also helps employees during times of transition, both when they join the plan and upon employment separation.

Components of the program include customized financial education support services, asset roll over assistance, education and support for separating and terminated participants, and personalized strategies to meet retirement goals.

“As the go-to provider for the small plan market, Guardian is constantly looking for ways to offer large plan services to our micro-to-small plan clients. Plan sponsors who work with Guardian Retirement Solutions™ and LPL Financial will now have access to powerful employee transition and engagement solutions that will improve the enrollment, management and support experience for retirement plan participants,” said Douglas Dubitsky, Vice President, Guardian Retirement Solutions™. “Guardian Retirement Solutions™ is excited to be part of LPL’s innovative Worksite Financial Solutions platform, which better aligns the needs of participants, sponsors and financial professionals and helps employees manage and grow their retirement plan assets across the full spectrum of their financial lives."

Bill Chetney, President of LPL Financial Retirement Partners, said, “The Worksite Financial Solutions platform represents LPL Retirement Partners’ vision for the future of the retirement advisory industry, of which efficient account transition is an integral component. We are honored that Guardian recognizes the importance of this vision, and we look forward to working with them and all of our retirement-plan focused advisors to assist in moving the industry forward.”

About Guardian

A mutual insurer founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, disability income and dental insurance products, and offer funding vehicles for 401(k) plans, annuities and other financial products. Guardian operates one of the largest dental networks in the United States, and protects more than eight million employees and their families at over 115,000 companies. The company has approximately 5,000 employees in the United States and a network of over 3,000 financial representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide. For more information about Guardian, please visit www.GuardianLife.com.

The Guardian Choice® group variable funding agreement and The Guardian Advantage® group variable annuity contract are issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), a Delaware corporation whose principal place of business is 7 Hanover Square, New York, NY, 10004. GIAC is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. Guardian does not issue Individual annuities, group variable funding agreements and group variable annuity contracts and does not guarantee the benefits they provide.

Guardian Retirement Solutions™ refers to the administrative support services, including participant recordkeeping as well as marketing, enrollment and educational materials, provided by GIAC in conjunction with the individual and group retirement products issued by GIAC.

LPL Financial is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Guardian or GIAC.

About LPL Financial

LPL Financial, a wholly owned subsidiary of LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LPLA), is the nation's largest independent broker-dealer (based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine, June 1996-2013), an RIA custodian, and an independent consultant to retirement plans. LPL Financial offers proprietary technology, comprehensive clearing and compliance services, practice management programs and training, and independent research to more than 13,600 financial advisors and approximately 700 financial institutions. In addition, LPL Financial supports approximately 4,500 financial advisors licensed with insurance companies by providing customized clearing, advisory platforms and technology solutions. LPL Financial and its affiliates have more than 3,000 employees with primary offices in Boston, Charlotte, and San Diego. For more information, please visit www.lpl.com.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC.

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