Target-date funds (“TDF”) offer a long-term investment strategy based on holding a mix of stocks, bonds, and other investments (this mix is called an asset allocation) that automatically changes over time as retirement plan participants age.
According to public comments by Department of Labor officials, TDFs do not receive the same evaluation when selected, and scrutiny ongoing as other investment options. Severe consequences lurk for fiduciaries that add TDFs to their retirement plans’ investment options but fail to ensure their choices perform appropriately over time.
Our experts discuss what fiduciary committees can do to ensure they select and oversee TDFs properly. They present eight activities that form a best practices outline relevant for all defined contribution plans.
Host
Ronald E. Hagan is Chairman of Roland|Criss’ Risk Standards Committee. Ron has over 25 years of experience helping clients examine and improve their risk management practices for employee benefit plans qualified under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. He is the engaging host of Roland|Criss’ weekly podcast and quarterly webinar series. His column The Excellent Fiduciary appears in each issue of the nationally published Journal of Compensation and Benefits.
Guest Expert
Christine L. Denton is Group Executive for Roland|Criss’ Risk Practice Group. Christine provides a wide, in-depth variety of experience advising retirement plan committees on fiduciary best practices. She holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst™ (AIFA®) accreditation and the Governance, Risk, and Compliance Professional (“GRCP”) certification. Christine is a member of the Employee Benefit Plan Cybersecurity Working Group, an industry task force. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Baylor University.
