Should You Consider Target Date Funds as a Viable Investment Option?

by | Aug 16, 2023 | Vanguard IRA | 30 comments




▸▸▸Enroll in our 365 Days to F.I.R.E. Program! – Enrollment is now open for our class of 2024, 365 Days to F.I.R.E. program! As part of the program, you will get to attend our 2024 meetups in Portugal (with more than 500 people attending the meetups this year!), get assigned daily FIRE tasks to complete, participate in live monthly Q&A sessions with us, be broken into smaller accountability groups with other people in the program, attend quarterly book club meetings, get personal coaching from us (for those in the coaching plan) . . . and more!!! Enroll today!

▸▸▸Enroll in our Stock Market Investing Course for Financial Independence and Retiring Early: Enroll in our new 21 module, 4-plus hour stock market investing course with more than 30 handouts of summary notes, homework assignments, and resources. Learn how to research and select investments, how to determine your asset allocation, how to rebalance your portfolio, how to optimize your investments for tax purposes, how to automate your investments, and much more (including a 19-page Investment Plan to work on)!

▸▸▸Enroll in our FIRE Master Class: This FIRE Master Class is designed for people interested in pursuing financial independence and retiring early. In the Master Class, we explain how to live off of your investments during early retirement; how to withdraw money from your investment accounts to support your living expenses during retirement; how to calculate your FIRE number; new and creative ways that you can save money; new side hustles for making money; how to invest in the stock market and in real estate; we discuss healthcare options in retirement . . . and MORE!

▸▸▸Enroll in our How to Move to Portugal Course: A Step-By-Step Course to Relocating and Living in Portugal: This course is designed for people interested in moving to Portugal. In the course, we explain the visa process, the documents you need to submit for your application, and the step-by-step process that we took to obtain our visas; we explain the residency permit process and how we obtained our residence permit here in Portugal; we explain the process for buying and renting a house in Portugal; we discuss healthcare, school options, and setting up NIFs, we explain taxes here in Portugal, and MORE!

See also  Kid Explains Traditional IRA vs. Roth IRA to Her Dad

▸▸▸Follow us on Instagram:

Our Rich Journey – Target Date Funds | Are They Good Investments?: Did you know that the majority of US companies automatically enroll their employees in target date funds in their 401(k)-type plans? If you’ve been interested in target date funds, if you’re enrolled in a target date fund, or if you want to know our thoughts on whether a target date fund is good for those pursuing financial independence and retiring early – this video is for you (HINT: We never invested in target date funds!)! In this video – we discuss the pros and cons of target date funds and we detail our reasoning as to why we never invested in target date funds on our road to financial independence and retiring early. Thanks for watching!

▸▸▸Check out some of our other videos!
HOW WE RETIRED AT 39 | Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE):

How We Became Millionaires with Index Funds | Vanguard, Schwab, & Fidelity:

OUR STOCK PORTFOLIO UPDATE | We’re Rebalancing Our Portfolio (Ep. 6 – May 2019):

Music: bensound.com

▸▸▸PLEASE SUBSCRIBE:
If you like our video, please make sure to “like” the video and subscribe to our channel. We post two videos a week related to our journey towards financial independence, including making money, saving money, and investing money. Make sure to check out all our videos and . . . join the journey!

DISCLAIMER:
We are not financial advisors. Our videos are for educational purposes only and merely cite our own personal opinions. In order to make the best financial decision that suits your own needs, you must conduct your own research and seek the advice of a licensed financial advisor if necessary. Know that all investments involve some form of risk and there is no guarantee that you will be successful in making, saving, or investing money; nor is there any guarantee that you won’t experience any loss when investing. Always remember to make smart decisions and do your own research!

See also  Jill on Money Radio Show: Overcoming My Fear of Risk and Exploring the Annuity Option

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe. However, this does not impact our personal opinions.

#TargetDateFunds #HowToRetireEarly #FinancialIndependenceRetireEarly…(read more)


LEARN MORE ABOUT: IRA Accounts

INVESTING IN A GOLD IRA: Gold IRA Account

INVESTING IN A SILVER IRA: Silver IRA Account

REVEALED: Best Gold Backed IRA


Target Date Funds: Are They a Good Investment?

When it comes to investing, there are countless options available to the average individual. One such option that has gained popularity in recent years is the target date fund. This type of fund is designed to be a one-stop solution for individuals looking to invest for their retirement. But are target date funds truly a good investment?

First, let’s understand what a target date fund is. This investment vehicle is structured as a mutual fund that adjusts its asset allocation over time based on the target retirement date. For example, if an investor plans to retire in 2050, they would choose a target date fund with a target date of 2050. As the investor approaches their retirement date, the fund gradually shifts its allocation from riskier assets, such as stocks, to more conservative assets, like bonds.

One of the primary advantages of target date funds is their simplicity. They offer a hands-off approach to investing, making them particularly appealing to novice investors. With a single investment, individuals can achieve broad diversification across various asset classes, reducing the risk associated with putting all their eggs in one basket. This simplicity is especially useful for investors who lack the time or inclination to research and manage a portfolio of individual securities.

See also  The Potential Consequences of Vanguard's Financial Collapse

Target date funds also provide automatic rebalancing. As the investor ages, the fund automatically adjusts its asset allocation to maintain the desired risk profile. This ensures that the investor’s portfolio stays on track without requiring constant monitoring and adjustments. This feature makes target date funds suitable for investors who prefer a more passive, set-it-and-forget-it approach to investing.

However, it’s important to note that target date funds are not without their drawbacks. One concern is the lack of customization. As target date funds are designed to accommodate a broad range of investors, they may not align perfectly with an individual’s risk tolerance or personal investment goals. Additionally, the fees associated with target date funds can be higher compared to other investment options. It is crucial to carefully analyze the expense ratios and compare them with alternative investment strategies.

Furthermore, target date funds are not immune to market risks. Although they automatically adjust their asset allocation over time, they do not guarantee protection against losses or market downturns. The investor’s overall return will still be influenced by the performance of the underlying assets within the target date fund.

In conclusion, target date funds can be a good investment option for the right individual. Their simplicity, automatic rebalancing, and diversification make them attractive to novice investors or those who prefer a more hands-off approach. However, it is crucial for investors to understand the trade-offs of using target date funds, such as potential limitations on customization and higher fees. As with any investment decision, conducting thorough research and seeking professional advice tailored to one’s specific circumstances is essential.

Truth about Gold
You May Also Like

30 Comments

  1. Evangamez

    Speaking truth

  2. oSnapMillerTime

    Thank you sir 3 years later still good advice

  3. Jen

    Do you have 1:1 consultation

  4. Javish Bruno

    Can l invest in Fxaix and Fiofx? Is good investment?

  5. Rose

    I first started my tax account through you guys. I have invested in 2 index funds so far…but I also bought stocks in Amazon and Apple Year before last and my money has dropped significantly. What do I do? Do I sell it now or should I keep it? Even the index funds have lost money as well…but not as bad as Amazon. so I didn’t make any profit be it index or other funds. Am I doing something different?

  6. B Potts

    I was looking into target date retirement fund for my child to be able to get out at age 21. Thoughts? Best investments for children?

  7. M C

    Now a days Target Index funds have expense ratio of 0.04 -0.06%. It is easy to manage stock/bonds ratio by keeping stock index funds in taxable accounts. The cons are not really cons.

  8. MeltingRubberZ28

    Vanguard 2055 Target Date. 0.08% expense ratio. 90+% stocks, beating the SP500. Happy with it.

  9. The Dividend Journey

    Where would you suggest holding emergency funds? Holding a years worth of expenses in cash in a safe at home makes me nervous just thinking about it lol

  10. TheGreatNeos

    Almost chose to invest my retirement funds into a target date fund, the one recommended by my employer. Then I looked at the returns… It didn't seem quite right.

    Lo and behold, it performed worse than the indexes during bull markets and fell more than indexes in bear markets.

    I swapped things around REAL fast

  11. Evangamez

    Thanks for sharing. I would like to share another negative about the Target retirement fund. I started investing in my 2035 fund many years ago. I accumulated well over a million dollars. As you discussed there is rebalancing that these funds do. When I started this fund I was young and foolish. I don’t have this fund in a tax shelter. Last year I was hit with close to a 300,000 long term capital gains tax. I’m in the 20 percent bracelet. Learn from my mistake you don’t want this in a regular account. Ouch

  12. MsShyKs

    What if this fund is provided by my employer? And there is a company match.

  13. Mohammad Pourheydarian

    Excellent video. Very simple not only to understand but also to remember what they suggest because the suggestions make sense. Thank you young couple.

  14. Alex C.

    They are a little conservative but that’s not always a bad thing. Especially now.

  15. Ryan Schockemoehl

    Hello! My Roth IRA vanguard target date fund has a .08 expense ratio, and a 8.04% average return since inception in 2006. It’s comprised of 89% index funds. Would you still recommend switching to individually managed given this information? Thanks!

  16. Ron On The Grill

    Hey guys, I'm about 10 years from retirement age and, just like you said, my company's 401k put me in a Vanguard target date fund. I started looking around and doing a bit more research and, even though I'm pretty close to retirement, I think I could be doing better by re-allocating all or most of my contributions (currently $50 a week with some company matching) into the Vanguard 500 index fund admiral shares. However I've seen this fund called something else and with a different ticker symbol (VOO). What's the difference?

  17. perla

    i am not like everyone else! i will create my own portfolio because i am in charge of my life. thank you so much for the information very helpful! breaking generational patterns one day at a time.

  18. BTH

    THX

  19. Elena

    Not to mention, they have a high expense ratio.

  20. Denicia Barriere

    I can honestly say I fell prey on a target date fund. I learned this recently.

  21. Thomas

    Hey brother, I have the fidelity 2045 Target date index fund FIOFX is that a good one ?

  22. Van Albury

    I have a 2050 TDF with my employer the expense ratio is 0.29% FOR THE FUND is that good or expensive ?

  23. LaTasha Ursin

    I have target date index funds in my IRA and IRA ROTH accounts through Vanguard.

  24. Asstronauts

    Target date funds are great at EFFICIENTLY STEALING YOUR MONEY. They sell your money making equities and weigh down your porfolio with almost worthless bonds. I'm going 100% stocks till i die at 99 XD

  25. Michael S

    My 2030 Vanguard fraud lost 15% today..what a scam..

  26. Deziah Gonzalez

    What about if the company you work for is matching your contribution up to 6 percent ? Should you do the 6 with them or just handle it yourself with no match ?

  27. Drewed

    Omg i been in TDF! I just moved it to S&P500 Vanguard Index at 1:30 in the morningggggg

  28. The Daniel Drew

    I have a 401k with my job target and they offer the life path 2065 index fund . I plan to start with 5% and raise more and roll it over when I leave them but it’s This a good plan if I want to have this investment plan for just investments and to just grow my money …

  29. D Walker

    Thank you investigating

U.S. National Debt

The current U.S. national debt:
$34,609,796,817,427

Source

ben stein recessions & depressions

Retirement Age Calculator

  Original Size