target date funds

Target Date Fund Strategy

Just because you have the option of using a single target date fund, does it mean it's always the best option?

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"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

Target Date Fund Strategy

When it comes to target date funds, what's the right strategy? Should you be using one fund or multiple funds with different years?

Have a money question? Email me here.

Please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

Coronavirus: Stick with Target Date Fund?

You want to invest, yet you don't want to worry about your investments. Is a target date fund the right approach? Easily one of the most common questions we get!

Have a money question? Email me here.

Please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

Coronavirus: Target Date Funds

Sometimes people think I dislike the use of target date funds, but that's not true. If you're using them, all good. I just want you guys to understand that they're often times more expensive and more risky than you realize.

Have a money question? Email me here.

Please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

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#208 Taxes, RMDs, Target Date Funds

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As we say goodbye (and good riddance!) to February, there were lots of questions about tax preparation, Required Minimum Distributions and whether or not to use target date funds. Thanks so much to Peter, Mike and Lisa, all of who offered extra information for our listeners!

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Here was the CBS This Morning segment, where we celebrated America Saves Week and in case you missed it, President Obama dropped the F-Word last week!

Not that one, but he endorsed a Department of Labor proposal, which would require brokers to act in a customer’s best interest—the so-called FIDUCIARY duty—when working with retirement investors. We talk a lot about fiduciaries on the show, so we'll be keeping you posted on what happens next.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

  • Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 
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#198 The Hanukkah, Pre-Christmas Show

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As you scramble to complete your holiday shopping, listen to the great questions that we field this week. We start with Karen from Iowa, who holds a large nest egg in illiquid investments. We then shift to Karen, who is getting into the holiday spirit by gifting to her children. (Anyone can give up to $14,000 to an individual without worrying about taxation.

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Steve is trying to decide how to manage his rental income and Dennis wanted to know about Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).

With just days to go before 2015, check out these year-end money moves!

Our guest Gary Zimmerman of MaxMyInterest.com explains his cool new service is like “Uber for cash” and how it can help you boost your returns with NO RISK!

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Check out Mark's first-producing credit for this CBS Evening News segment that aired recently. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

  • Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 
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Target Date Funds: Not as Simple as Advertised

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The concept of target date funds (TDFs) seemed like a swell idea when they were introduced in the 1990’s. Beleaguered retirement plan participants no longer needed to put themselves through the head-scratching process of selecting the “correct” allocation or asking their equally clueless co-workers what funds to use. Instead they could outsource the decision-making to a money management company, which would rebalance the portfolio periodically and adjust the risk in the account, as the participant neared his or her desired retirement age. This is sometimes referred to as a “glide path”. Conceptually, target date funds were popular enough that the government soon allowed plan sponsors to make them the default investment option for anyone who enrolled in a retirement fund. This was an attempt to combat the large number of participants who sat in cash for years because they had not selected an asset allocation. The ease of target date funds explains why their use has exploded: According to the Investment Company Institute, there was $618 billion invested in TDFs at the end of 2013, up nearly four-fold from $160 billion in 2008.

Still, a few problems have arisen since TDFs have matured. First, until the financial crisis and stock market crash, many participants had no idea that the risk in these funds could be significant. For example, the current allocation of the Fidelity Freedom 2030 Fund is 86 percent in stocks and 14 percent in bonds. For a 50-year old who thinks that she is investing in a balanced portfolio, that’s an allocation that could take a big downside hit if the stock market were to drop.

It should also be noted that the fees for many of these funds could be steeper than index investments that are often offered alongside them. And then there is the problem of target date fund misuse. According to a recent study from Financial Engines, an independent investment advisor, many workers who are investing in target-date funds are not using them as intended, ultimately lowering their investment returns.

The study found that more than 60 percent of workers who hold money in target-date funds also invest in other funds, which undermines the all-in-one benefits for participants. This target-date fund misuse is hurting investment returns: The study found that, on average, workers who were partially allocated to target date funds had median annual returns that were 2.11 percent lower, net of fees, than individuals exclusively using target date funds.

In addition to the fees, risk and misuse, there is another reason to delve into TDFs: they approach retirement money management in two different ways. The first is called a “to” glide path, where the manager reduces risk to the lowest level on the target date of your retirement. That means that if you were retiring in 2020 at age 70, the fund would have the lowest allocation into risky assets, like stocks or commodities, and the highest in fixed assets. Mega manager Blackrock adheres to the “to” philosophy, as do many independent investment advisors, who are most concerned with downside risk for retirees.

The other management style employs a “through” glide path, which assumes that you will live many years after your retirement date. As a result, the assets are invested to keep pace with inflation and often remain invested for growth. The "through" glide path aims to combat the risk that you outlive your assets. Fidelity, Vanguard, and T. Rowe Price use "through" glide paths.

Michael Goodman, President of Wealthstream Advisors in New York City encourages retirement investors to “understand the glide path your fund utilizes and how it fits into your plan and risk tolerance.” While he is a bit more partial towards the “to” path, he also noted that some plans only offer the “through” version. As a result, investors should “check in every so often on the glide path to make sure it still fits your personal time horizon.”

For such an “easy” investment solution, target date funds are not as simple as they were intended to be!

#162 Taxes, Target Date Funds, Timeshare Hell

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With days to go before the tax filing deadline, don't fret! We have these Last Minute Tax Resources to help you with the process.

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Sandra, Roger, Julius and TC are all in different stages of retirement planning mode, while Ali, Barbara and Janet need help determining what kind of investment advisor makes sense for them, which led to a discussion about target date funds.

Are you in "Timeshare Hell" with caller Joyce? We try to help rescue her with some ways to exit these tough investments.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

  • Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE