July 08, 2019 Custom or Packaged? The Target-Date Choice Revisited by Jennifer DeLong, Andrew Stumacher Many plan sponsors wrestle with the decision of choosing—or changing—a target-date solution. Is a packaged product appropriate for plan participants, or are there advantages to using a custom solution? Or is there perhaps another choice? Business Owners, Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
January 08, 2019 DC Plan Participants Voice Their Interest in Responsible Investing by Jennifer DeLong In our new survey, DC plan participants voice their interest in aligning their retirement investments with their ethics. But the Department of Labor has apparently put up some roadblocks that cause DC plan sponsors to hesitate. Multi-Asset, Responsible Investing/ESG, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
October 25, 2018 Living the Retirement Dream? by Jennifer DeLong Retirement reality for many Americans may not be as grim as forecasters predict. Could it be better? Yes. But many retirees in our new survey see a glass that’s more than half full. Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
July 11, 2018 Is All-Passive Really the Best Thing for Target-Date Funds? by Christopher Nikolich With market returns expected to be lower going forward, target-date funds that invest in passively managed underlying components are at risk of underdelivering. We think diversifying beyond traditional asset classes and tapping alpha opportunities with a multi-manager structure can increase the chances of success. Active & Passive , Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 2 SHARE Bookmarks
March 21, 2018 Do Your Target-Date Funds Measure Up to Rising Rates? by Jennifer DeLong, Daniel J. Loewy, Christopher Nikolich Rising US interest rates could pose a challenge for target-date funds (TDFs) that concentrate on “core” US fixed-income exposure. Diversifying across a broad range of bond markets and strategies can create a cushion in a rising-rate environment. Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 28, 2018 With Target-Date Funds, History Does Repeat by Jennifer DeLong Target-date funds played a big part in helping defined contribution (DC) plan participants stay invested through February’s market turmoil. And history does repeat: in the severe 2008–09 financial crisis, these funds kept many participants positioned to take part in a lengthy bull market. Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
November 14, 2017 Six Tips to Take DC Plans to the Next Level by Jennifer DeLong Tax reform. Interest-rate hikes. Regulatory questions. Inflation. There’s always a reason to put off making changes to your company’s defined contribution (DC) plan. But some improvements will be good for your plan and participants no matter what happens. Multi-Asset, Plan Design, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
May 16, 2017 DOL Throws New Lifeline to Lifetime-Income Solutions by Jennifer DeLong The defined contribution (DC) community has been buzzing about lifetime-income products lately. It’s a topic that’s been dormant for several years, but there are good reasons for renewed interest. Multi-Asset, Policy & Regulation, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
March 22, 2017 CITs: In the Sweet Spot for Improving DC Plans by Jennifer DeLong Today, with plan sponsors increasingly concerned about their fiduciary responsibility to provide appropriate and reasonably priced investment options, CITS can help a lot. Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
March 07, 2017 When It Comes to Target-Date Funds, You Better Shop Around by Jennifer DeLong Many plan sponsors are shifting away from recordkeepers’ target-date funds to nonproprietary versions. But others are still using yesterday’s model. We think it’s time to take a look around. Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 22, 2017 Reflation Brewing: Is Your Retirement Portfolio Ready? by Daniel J. Loewy, Christopher Nikolich For decades, there were two things that workers saving for retirement could count on: falling interest rates and low inflation. Change may be afoot. We think target-date funds should take notice. Inflation, Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
September 06, 2016 Target-Date Fund Diversification: Don’t Settle for Simple by Jennifer DeLong Plain-vanilla portfolios have become a major presence in the target-date world after a difficult period for diversification. We don’t think it’s a good idea to bet that plain and simple will continue to win. Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 1 SHARE Bookmarks
November 09, 2015 Do Global Bonds Belong in US DC Plans? by Alison Martier, Christopher Nikolich Looking to control risk? US defined contribution (DC) plans should consider incorporating currency-hedged global bonds into their core menus and target-date funds (TDFs). Fixed Income, Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 1 SHARE Bookmarks