News
Trending: Top Three Emerging Markets Equity Funds
Daniel Cross
|
These funds specifically invest in emerging market economies with the largest being China...
Welcome to MutualFunds.com
Please help us personalize your experience and select the one that best describes you.
Your personalized experience is almost ready.
Thank you!
Check your email and confirm your subscription to complete your personalized experience.
Thank you for your submission
We hope you enjoy your experience
In this article, we’ll discuss the differences between a target-date fund and a target-risk fund, and which can be a better investment choice depending on your specific financial goals.
However, not all target-date funds are created equal. Each investment company has a different investment style and risk tolerance to its glide path. Some target-date funds incorporate a passive investment approach, like the Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund (VFFVX). In return for the index-fund approach, the target-date fund has a very low expense ratio of 0.16%. Alternatively, some managers use an active management approach. For instance, the Fidelity Freedom 2055 Fund (FDEEX) offers more diversification among many more specific asset classes, like real estate, emerging markets, mid cap, small cap, high income and floating rate. However, the fund is considerably more expensive with an internal cost of 0.77%.
In addition, target-date funds have varying risk tolerances between different fund managers, who can have different asset allocation policies. In this context, you might want to check the pros and cons of target-date funds.
However, unlike the target-date fund in which the asset allocation changes to become more conservative over time, a target-risk fund is designed to stay consistent with the investor’s risk tolerance.
It is interesting to note the real point of difference between target-date funds and Target-risk funds – i.e. their core investment philosophy. While target-date funds rebalance in order to achieve a specific return geared toward the investor’s retirement goal, target-risk funds rebalance in order to maintain a constant risk profile for the investor that is initially agreed upon at the time of investment.
Target-Date Funds: Designed to Reach a Long-Term Financial Objective, Irrespective of Market Conditions
Apart from the similarities mentioned above, target-date funds and target-risk funds are quite different in terms of the way they operate during the tenure of the investment period.
The primary difference revolves around the triggers that initiate the rebalancing activity once the investor commits to a target-date fund. These funds constantly churn assets and the risk tolerance levels, depending on your objectives. The earlier you buy a target-date fund, the more aggressive the fund is. For instance, the Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund is nearly invested in 90% stocks now but as the fund gets closer to its target date, the fund will gradually reduce its risk level.
Another point to note is that these funds are blind to the market conditions and are only designed to follow a predefined glide path that specifically adheres to your long-term financial goals. For instance, in a bearish stock market, a target-date fund would not change its overall allocation to equities.
Target-Risk Funds: Designed to React to Market Conditions, Ensuring a Constant Risk Profile
A target-risk fund does not change according to age but according to market conditions, in order to maintain the risk tolerance level assigned to the fund.
For example, the Sun Life Financial Granite Conservative fund that is invested in 63% bonds may convert some of the allocation to cash if the fund manager believes that there are negative signs in the bond market. The same fund, if managed by a more aggressive manager, may allocate a larger portion into stocks, or other specific sub-classes within stocks like international, emerging markets or mid and small cap. This dramatic range of asset allocation strategy changes is one of the reasons why target -isk funds might be more appealing to investors with greater risk appetite.
So depending on your financial goals, availability of financial resources and risk tolerance level over the course of the investment period, you can choose either type of fund.
Let’s consider these scenarios to better understand this dilemma:
Be sure to follow our Target-Date Funds section to make the right investment decision.
Receive email updates about best performers, news, CE accredited webcasts and more.
News
Daniel Cross
|
These funds specifically invest in emerging market economies with the largest being China...
Jayden Sangha
|
In this article, we will take a closer look at the upcoming initiatives...
Kristan Wojnar, RCC™
|
This week we are tackling the practice management topics of a client-centric approach,...
Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.
Download our free report
Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.
Download our free report
Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.
Mutual Fund Education
Justin Kuepper
|
Let's take a closer look at how ESG investments have outperformed during the...
Mutual Fund Education
Daniel Cross
|
While CITs and mutual funds share many similarities, there are some key differences...
Mutual Fund Education
Sam Bourgi
|
The phrase ‘bear market’ has been thrown around a lot lately, but it...
In this article, we’ll discuss the differences between a target-date fund and a target-risk fund, and which can be a better investment choice depending on your specific financial goals.
However, not all target-date funds are created equal. Each investment company has a different investment style and risk tolerance to its glide path. Some target-date funds incorporate a passive investment approach, like the Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund (VFFVX). In return for the index-fund approach, the target-date fund has a very low expense ratio of 0.16%. Alternatively, some managers use an active management approach. For instance, the Fidelity Freedom 2055 Fund (FDEEX) offers more diversification among many more specific asset classes, like real estate, emerging markets, mid cap, small cap, high income and floating rate. However, the fund is considerably more expensive with an internal cost of 0.77%.
In addition, target-date funds have varying risk tolerances between different fund managers, who can have different asset allocation policies. In this context, you might want to check the pros and cons of target-date funds.
However, unlike the target-date fund in which the asset allocation changes to become more conservative over time, a target-risk fund is designed to stay consistent with the investor’s risk tolerance.
It is interesting to note the real point of difference between target-date funds and Target-risk funds – i.e. their core investment philosophy. While target-date funds rebalance in order to achieve a specific return geared toward the investor’s retirement goal, target-risk funds rebalance in order to maintain a constant risk profile for the investor that is initially agreed upon at the time of investment.
Target-Date Funds: Designed to Reach a Long-Term Financial Objective, Irrespective of Market Conditions
Apart from the similarities mentioned above, target-date funds and target-risk funds are quite different in terms of the way they operate during the tenure of the investment period.
The primary difference revolves around the triggers that initiate the rebalancing activity once the investor commits to a target-date fund. These funds constantly churn assets and the risk tolerance levels, depending on your objectives. The earlier you buy a target-date fund, the more aggressive the fund is. For instance, the Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund is nearly invested in 90% stocks now but as the fund gets closer to its target date, the fund will gradually reduce its risk level.
Another point to note is that these funds are blind to the market conditions and are only designed to follow a predefined glide path that specifically adheres to your long-term financial goals. For instance, in a bearish stock market, a target-date fund would not change its overall allocation to equities.
Target-Risk Funds: Designed to React to Market Conditions, Ensuring a Constant Risk Profile
A target-risk fund does not change according to age but according to market conditions, in order to maintain the risk tolerance level assigned to the fund.
For example, the Sun Life Financial Granite Conservative fund that is invested in 63% bonds may convert some of the allocation to cash if the fund manager believes that there are negative signs in the bond market. The same fund, if managed by a more aggressive manager, may allocate a larger portion into stocks, or other specific sub-classes within stocks like international, emerging markets or mid and small cap. This dramatic range of asset allocation strategy changes is one of the reasons why target -isk funds might be more appealing to investors with greater risk appetite.
So depending on your financial goals, availability of financial resources and risk tolerance level over the course of the investment period, you can choose either type of fund.
Let’s consider these scenarios to better understand this dilemma:
Be sure to follow our Target-Date Funds section to make the right investment decision.
Receive email updates about best performers, news, CE accredited webcasts and more.
News
Daniel Cross
|
These funds specifically invest in emerging market economies with the largest being China...
Jayden Sangha
|
In this article, we will take a closer look at the upcoming initiatives...
Kristan Wojnar, RCC™
|
This week we are tackling the practice management topics of a client-centric approach,...
Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.
Download our free report
Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.
Download our free report
Find out why $30 trillon is invested in mutual funds.
Mutual Fund Education
Justin Kuepper
|
Let's take a closer look at how ESG investments have outperformed during the...
Mutual Fund Education
Daniel Cross
|
While CITs and mutual funds share many similarities, there are some key differences...
Mutual Fund Education
Sam Bourgi
|
The phrase ‘bear market’ has been thrown around a lot lately, but it...