How Target Date Funds Work
Are you searching for a way to save for retirement, investing in a target date fund could be the perfect solution. These investments make building wealth easier as they automatically rebalance your portfolio over time. Plus, the investment company handles research and management of your portfolio on your behalf – saving you valuable time on financial planning.
Investing for the long run can be daunting if you don’t have much money or time to spare. Fortunately, there are various options that can help you reach your financial objectives.
How Do Target Date Funds Work
A target-date fund is a mutual fund that gradually rebalances and reallocates assets as you get closer to retirement. This means the fund’s investments shift from riskier ones to safer options as you approach your desired retirement date.
This process typically takes years. This is to minimize the risk of sudden shifts in the market. For instance, if stocks experience an incredible two years, your asset allocation could shift dramatically – something to be wary of while still many decades away from retirement.
The fund will rebalance to a more conservative investment mix by selling higher-risk investments and buying lower-risk ones as the target date approaches, thus decreasing investment risk. It does this on a glide path similar to how an airplane decelerates before landing.
Vanguard states that target-date funds use glide paths to maintain an investor’s portfolio at an age-appropriate level of risk until they reach their retirement goal. These glide paths, which are usually published on the fund website, gradually alter as you get closer to reaching your intended retirement date.
Target-date funds can be an excellent option for your IRA, 401(k), or other tax-advantaged accounts. They tend to be tax efficient because capital gains and dividends are passed through to shareholders, thus lowering their overall taxes.
Target-date funds often have lower expenses than other mutual funds, helping you squeeze more money out of your retirement savings. This makes them a great option for those who want to start saving but are unsure where to begin.
To invest successfully, it’s essential to know your target retirement date and understand how a target-date fund can help you reach it. With so many available from various fund companies, do your research and determine which one works best for your situation.
How Do Target Date Funds Work
If you have been investing in a taxable account and are nearing retirement age, consider switching to a target-date fund instead of traditional IRA. Doing this could save you a considerable amount of money on taxes in the early years after retirement.
