The Bank Services Group takes a consultative approach to design a strategic plan that compliments the overall goals of the bank.
The Bank Services Group at Acropolis works alongside our banking clients to meet their Securities Portfolio and Asset Liability Management (ALM) needs. Our services also include comprehensive portfolio reporting, helping our clients develop internal policies to manage interest rate risk, providing pre- and post-purchase credit risk analysis and deposit study analysis.
Our transparent approach is in direct contrast to the brokerage model used by most banks today. A broker is selling bonds. They make money by selling a bond for more than they bought it – known as a “mark-up.” This cost is hidden and is usually much more than an investor realizes. The broker is incentivized to trade certain bonds, not necessarily the bond that is best for your bank.
Customized, Objective Planning for Banks
We offer a deep understanding of the banking industry and deliver objective, non-biased advice.
Acropolis began as a bank subsidiary and many of its partners and employees have spent years in the banking industry. We found that many of our friends running banks were tired of the standard brokerage model. They wanted someone they could partner with to provide truly unbiased expert advice on managing their bank’s investment portfolio. With our background and industry experience, the Acropolis Bank Services Group was a natural fit.
Our clients know that our advice is objective. We serve clients on a fee-only basis and have no hidden agenda about the investments that we select. We are also a Registered Investment Advisory firm, which means that we serve clients in a fiduciary capacity that requires us to put client interests first and disclose any possible conflicts of interest. We have gone one step further by earning the CEFEX designation from the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence.
The advice that we provide is tailored for each client because no two clients are the same. Although many clients may have similar goals, each client will make different decisions depending on their own unique circumstances. We have the tools and the ability to help banks make the decisions that are right for them.
Planning for Banks FAQs
1. What does Acropolis’s Bank Services Group help banks with?
We work alongside banks on securities portfolio management and Asset Liability Management (ALM), including strategy, reporting, and risk management support.
2. Do you replace our bond broker, or work alongside them?
Many banks use us as an alternative to the traditional brokerage model. We emphasize a consultative, transparent approach instead of bond sales incentives.
3. How are you different from the brokerage model most banks use?
A broker typically earns money through mark-ups embedded in bond trades, which can be hard to see. Acropolis contrasts that with a transparent approach focused on what’s best for the bank, not what’s best for selling a specific bond.
4. What does “ALM consultation” look like in practice?
It means helping your team align the securities portfolio with your broader balance sheet goals—so you can manage interest rate risk and other portfolio constraints more intentionally.
5. Can you help us create or improve internal investment/interest-rate-risk policies?
Yes. We help clients develop internal policies to manage interest rate risk.
6. Do you provide pre- and post-purchase credit analysis on securities?
Yes. The Bank Services Group includes pre- and post-purchase credit risk analysis as part of the service offering.
7. Do you offer deposit study analysis, and why would a bank need that?
Yes—deposit study analysis is listed as part of the services. Banks often use this to better understand deposit behavior and how it impacts funding and balance sheet strategy.