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Building & Uploading Custom Models
Building & Uploading Custom Models
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There are several common methods that advisors use for model management. Whether you manage the investment selection and asset allocation yourself or you outsource to a TAMP or model manager, TIFIN Wealth allows for advisors to upload custom models to use within an investment proposal.

There are several different ways to build a model:

  1. Build a Model from Scratch

  2. Upload the Model Holdings via .csv

  3. Create a New Model from an Existing Model

  4. Blend One or More Models together

The remainder of this article will walk through each scenario.

Build a Model from Scratch

To build a model from scratch:

  1. Click on Investment Models > Custom > Add Custom Models:

  2. Next, click on Create under Build Model from Scratch:

  3. Use the type ahead to find and select a given security > give it a weight % > click Add to add it to the model. Continue to add securities until the weight adds up to 100% > click Save in the bottom right:

  4. Add a Model Name > Click Create Model:

  5. Your newly created model will be added to your model universe and shown on both the Custom tab and the Active tabs:

Upload the Model Holdings via .csv

To upload the model holdings via .csv:

  1. Click on Investment Models > Custom > Add Custom Models:

  2. Next, click on Sample File to download a .csv format file:

  3. In the sample file, fill in the Ticker, Security Name, and Weight of your model and save the .csv.

  4. Once saved, go back into Add Custom Models > click Upload File:

  5. Select the model you just saved > give the model a name > click Create Model:

  6. Your newly created model will automatically be added to your Custom models library and also Activated for use in the optimizer.

Create a New Model from an Existing Model

The benefit of creating a new model from an existing model is that you can take models that come from asset managers and add your own spin to it. So if you like BlackRock as a fund manager, you can take the BlackRock Long Horizon 60/40 model and adjust the holdings and weights to fit your desired output. This can make things easier than starting from scratch.

To create a new model from an existing model:

  1. Click on Investment Models > Custom > Add Custom Models:

  2. Next, click on Create from Existing to edit the holdings and weights by starting from an existing model:

  3. You will be presented with the option to select one or more models from the model marketplace (fund sponsors) or any of your previously created models > Click Next:

  4. Set the weight you want allocated to each model, which will flow into the weights of the underlying securities in the next step:

  5. The last step gives you the option to adjust the weights and / or delete holdings all together > Click Save:

  6. Give the Model a Name and it will automatically be added to your Custom models and Active library:

Blend One or More Models Together

To blend one or more models together:

  1. Click on Investment Models > Custom > Add Custom Models:

  2. Next, click on Create Blend under blended models to take two or more existing models and blend them together by weighted allocation:

  3. Select the models you wish to blend > Click Next:

  4. Assign weights to each model sleeve > Click Next:

  5. TIFIN Wealth will automatically surface the underlying holdings and weight them according to the allocation you designated in the previous step. Click Save to give the newly blended model a name and it will be added to your Custom models and Active model universe.

Blended models will be denoted by the half-moon icon in your Custom Model table:

Custom returns

After uploading a custom model, you have the option to upload historical model returns which adjusts the model risk score, expected volatility, and returns.

Note: the upload file must contain at least 5 years of returns to upload correctly.

  1. Click on Investment Models > Custom > Add Custom Models:

  2. Click into the model > click Upload Returns at the top:

  3. Best practice would be to download a sample file to ensure your 5-years of historical returns are properly input into the file in the format required:

  4. Add the date (MM/DD/YYYY format) in column A and the returns in General format in column B > save the .csv. Your file should look identical to the sample file:

  5. Go back into the platform and click to Upload or drag your returns file into the upload widget.

  6. Once uploaded, view the latest monthly return period and the new Risk Score for the model:

Model Portfolio FAQs

How do I add fixed income securities to my models? (e.g. CDs, annuities, bonds, etc.)

  • First, create a proxy override to ensure the fixed income security or bond has a respective fund or ETF with a similar risk profile.

  • Next, use the file upload workflow outlined above to upload the model. The securities will automatically be mapped to their proxy so a Risk Score can be calculated.

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