SAN MATEO, CA--(Marketwire - Oct 18, 2012) - Franklin Templeton Investments today introduced a new retirement center at [ franklintempleton.com/retirement ] with interactive features, timely content and other helpful resources for financial advisors serving individual investors, as well as employers and plan sponsors.

"For over 60 years, we have been partnering with financial advisors to help their clients achieve their retirement goals. Our objective in creating this new online retirement center has been to give advisors a go-to resource that they can easily access for all of their retirement business needs. We incorporated much of their input in the design phase, and we are encouraging their continued comments and feedback," said Michael Doshier, vice president of Retirement Marketing at Franklin Templeton Investments.

Retirement center highlights include:

• The Retirement Post offers a steady stream of retirement-related articles authored by Franklin Templeton leaders, as well as industry specialists. By bookmarking The Retirement Post, advisors can easily access articles on current retirement topics, investment solutions and helpful tools that advisors can leverage with clients. Advisors are encouraged to interact through The Retirement Post's social capabilities, which include ratings and comment options.
• A suite of Retirement Resources is geared to assist advisors in building and expanding their retirement business whether they focus on individual clients or retirement plans. The content and tools available for working with individual investors are focused on three stages: saving for retirement, transitioning into retirement and living in retirement. Content for working with employers and plan sponsors includes tools to analyze 401(k) plan investment options, benchmarking tools and thought leadership materials on various investment-related topics.
• Fund Focus links advisors to information on Franklin Templeton funds. This includes wealth-building strategies for working with individual investors and defined contribution investment-only (DCIO) fund highlights for working with employers and plan sponsors.

"With the introduction of the new retirement center, Franklin Templeton continues expanding our resources dedicated to the DC marketplace. Today, we have greatly improved how we engage with retirement plan advisors," said Yaqub Ahmed, senior vice president and head of Investment-Only Division-U.S. for Franklin Templeton Investments.

Bob Geppner, senior vice president and head of National Sales-U.S. for Franklin Templeton Investments, added, "Our firm has been helping financial advisors and their clients generate retirement income for over 60 years. We are now taking that a step further by making it easier for advisors to see how our funds might be used in retirement, as well as improving access to tools for talking to clients about retirement."

Franklin Templeton Investments is a leader in retirement investing, managing over $125 billion¹ in retirement assets on behalf of individuals, small businesses, and institutions. From its beginning in 1947, Franklin Templeton Investments has helped people build their retirement nest eggs as well as generate income streams for living in their retirement years.

All investments involve risks. Investors should carefully consider a fund's investment goals, risks, charges and expenses before investing. To obtain a summary prospectus and/or prospectus for a Franklin Templeton fund, which contains this and other information, talk to your financial advisor, call us at (800) DIAL BEN/(800) 342-5236 or visit franklintempleton.com. Please carefully read a prospectus before you invest or send money.

Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc., is the principal underwriter of Franklin Templeton's U.S.-registered funds. Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: [ BEN ]) is a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments. Franklin Templeton Investments provides global and domestic investment management solutions managed by its Franklin, Templeton, Mutual Series, Fiduciary Trust, Darby and Bissett investment teams. The San Mateo, CA-based company has more than 60 years of investment experience and over $749 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2012. For more information, please call 1-800/DIAL BEN® or visit franklintempleton.com.

¹ As of June 30, 2012.

Copyright © 2012. Franklin Templeton Investments. All rights reserved.