John Hancock Retirement Plan Services Declares April 18 the First "National Financial Advisor Day"

BOSTON, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Retirement Plan Services (JHRPS) has created an annual national day of recognition for financial advisors (FAs), highlighting the contributions they make to the retirement plan market. This year, National Financial Advisor Day will be celebrated on April 18.

To promote National FA Day, John Hancock created a trade advertising and marketing campaign. To view a sample ad, click here.  John Hancock will also mark the day with additional activities and programs in support of the value and expertise FAs bring to the marketplace.

Because all John Hancock plans have FAs, John Hancock strives to create strong partnerships with FAs to support plan sponsors and participants. A key role of the FAs is working with plan sponsors, ensuring that retirement plans are successful at helping employees save for retirement. In a recent survey, John Hancock found that people who work with a financial advisor double their retirement preparedness and are less stressed by finances.¹ Participants with an advisor are more than twice as likely to say they're on track for retirement, have contributed to an IRA, or saved for emergencies.

"Today we want to recognize the unique value and expertise that financial advisors deliver to the industry, plan sponsors, and plan participants every day," said Patrick Murphy, president, JHRPS. "Because we consider FAs to be our partners in the business, we are dedicating a day to thank them for all they do."

¹ The 2015 John Hancock Financial Stress Survey was commissioned by John Hancock and conducted by Greenwald and Associates. The data is exclusive to the experience of John Hancock's mid/large market retirement plan clients. John Hancock and Greenwald and Associates are not affiliated and neither are responsible for the liabilities of the other.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife
John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, our group of companies offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners.  Assets under management by Manulife and its subsidiaries were $935 billion (US $676 billion) as at December 31, 2015. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSA, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife can be found on the Internet at Manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York and John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, LLC are collectively referred to as "John Hancock".

John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, LLC offers service programs for retirement plans through which a sponsor or administrator of a plan may invest in mutual funds, ETFs, guaranteed products and collective investment trusts on behalf of plan participants. John Hancock Trust Company, LLC provides trust and custodial services to such plans. Securities products, when offered, may be offered through John Hancock Distributors LLC or NYLIFE Distributors LLC, as applicable, member FINRA/SIPC. Retirement plan sponsors may be able to select the option to offer the On Target investment advisory program to participants; services relating to this program are detailed in the applicable investment advisory agreement. Mutual funds, ETFs, guaranteed products and collective investment trusts available on the respective investment platform have not been individually selected by John Hancock Retirement Plan Services LLC, or any of its service providers.

Both John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York do business under certain instances using the John Hancock Retirement Plan Services name. Group annuity contracts are issued by: John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), Boston, MA 02210 (not licensed in New York) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York, Valhalla, NY 10595. The Investment Management Services Division of John Hancock provides investment information relating to the group annuity contract.

Plan administrative services may be provided by John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, LLC or a plan consultant selected by the Plan.

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SOURCE John Hancock Retirement Plan Services