Target-Date 2020

A Target Date 2020 Fund is a target date fund that was... A Target Date 2020 Fund is a target date fund that was structured to meet a certain investment objective in 2020. However, even though the specified date is in the past, the fund may still exist. How a Target Date 2020 Fund is managed will depend on what kind of target date fund it is. If it’s a “to” fund, the fund will reach its final asset allocation (say, 80% bonds and 20% equities) in the final year, and then stay there as long as it exists. If it’s a “Through” fund, however, the managers will keep actively adjusting the asset allocation past the target date. Another way of saying this is that the so-called Glide Path of the fund continues, as opposed to reaching a terminal state. Eventually, a Target Date 2020 Fund usually merges with an income fund that has a conservative (and steady) stock-bond mix. Target Date 2020 Funds may be appropriate for conservative investors who seek a portfolio of stocks and bonds that is more heavily weighted to bonds. It’s important to note that because these funds are past their target date, the potential for capital gains is limited. Someone looking to save for a more expensive goal decades into the future will be better off buying a Target Date Fund whose date lines up with their objective. The ideal investor in one of these funds is someone who has a goal, such as retirement, that lines up with the target date. A downside to Target Date 2020 Funds is that there’s no guaranteed return, unlike, say, an annuity. The return for a particular Fund will come down to the decisions of the managers, as well as the performance of equity and fixed-income markets. In addition, fees on these funds can be high, as they are often considered “funds of funds”. So investors end up paying the fees of the fund itself, plus the fees of the various funds that are owned by the managers. Last Updated: 12/23/2024 View more View less

A Target Date 2020 Fund is a target date fund that was structured to meet a certain investment objective in 2020. However, even though the specified date is in the past, the fund... A Target Date 2020 Fund is a target date fund that was structured to meet a certain investment objective in 2020. However, even though the specified date is in the past, the fund may still exist. How a Target Date 2020 Fund is managed will depend on what kind of target date fund it is. If it’s a “to” fund, the fund will reach its final asset allocation (say, 80% bonds and 20% equities) in the final year, and then stay there as long as it exists. If it’s a “Through” fund, however, the managers will keep actively adjusting the asset allocation past the target date. Another way of saying this is that the so-called Glide Path of the fund continues, as opposed to reaching a terminal state. Eventually, a Target Date 2020 Fund usually merges with an income fund that has a conservative (and steady) stock-bond mix. Target Date 2020 Funds may be appropriate for conservative investors who seek a portfolio of stocks and bonds that is more heavily weighted to bonds. It’s important to note that because these funds are past their target date, the potential for capital gains is limited. Someone looking to save for a more expensive goal decades into the future will be better off buying a Target Date Fund whose date lines up with their objective. The ideal investor in one of these funds is someone who has a goal, such as retirement, that lines up with the target date. A downside to Target Date 2020 Funds is that there’s no guaranteed return, unlike, say, an annuity. The return for a particular Fund will come down to the decisions of the managers, as well as the performance of equity and fixed-income markets. In addition, fees on these funds can be high, as they are often considered “funds of funds”. So investors end up paying the fees of the fund itself, plus the fees of the various funds that are owned by the managers. Last Updated: 12/23/2024 View more View less