Every employee, in one
phase or another, solves problems on a daily basis, yet most do not look at
their 401k plan more than a few times a year, if that often. Even if one does
evaluate their plan once a quarter, which is the minimum recommended time
between portfolio reviews, most do not modify their elections or holdings –
they just sit back and watch their funds regardless of how well they do.
401knewsletter.com has
developed proprietary tools to analyze the mutual funds available in most
Fidelity 401k plans. This tool evaluates and selects the best mutual funds
available in each asset allocation sub-category (i.e. large cap, mid cap,
etc). The model portfolios (see below) are updated in each quarterly newsletter.
Asset allocation can be summed up as the process of determining optimal
allocations for the broad categories of assets (such as stocks, bonds, cash,
etc) that suit your investment time horizon and risk tolerance. The
allocation you choose is probably the most important decision you will have
to make and may account for more
than 80% of the return of your retirement portfolio.
Each asset sub-category
will generally have different levels of return and risk. They also behave
differently. At the time one asset is increasing in value, another may be
decreasing or not increasing as much and vice versa. The goal of asset
allocation is to diversify your holdings and minimize the overall risk of
your portfolio while still maintaining upside potential. 401kNewsletter.com
currently offers six asset allocation models. These
models are:
JAG’s Growth
– a custom, very aggressive allocation designed for people with a
high-risk tolerance and greater than 20 years until retirement.
Aggressive Growth
– an aggressive allocation for people with a high-risk tolerance and
greater than 20 years until retirement.
Wealth Building
– an aggressive-to-moderate allocation for people with a medium risk
tolerance and greater than 15 years until retirement.
Moderate Growth
– a moderate-to-conservative allocation for people with low risk tolerance
and greater than 5 to 10 years until retirement.
Capital
Preservation – a conservative
allocation for people with very low risk tolerance and less than 5 years
until retirement.
theUltra
Portfolio – HIGH VOLATILITY! One powerful segment
to some Fidelity managed 401k plans is the Brokerage Link account. For
$75 a year, $18.75 taken out of your primary account every quarter, you
have the option of buying almost any mutual fund available as well as
trade individual stocks. The only drawback to the Brokerage Link account
is that it is managed by Fidelity; meaning there are hundreds of funds not
available and the fees to purchase stocks are high in comparison with
other online brokers.
NOT
ALL FIDELITY 401k PLANS ARE CREATED EQUAL The fund list we
utilize in the aforementioned models is a standard pull of a Fidelity
managed 401k plan that offers 190+ mutual funds. Now you might be
saying, "My Fidelity 401k plan does not offer 190 mutual funds; it
only offers 20 funds to chose from." As a member of 401kNewsletter.com, feel free
to send us an email listing the funds available in your companies 401k plan
and we will do our best to incorporate the offerings in our
401kNewsletter.com model portfolios. As of July 1, 2005, we now
publish an appendix to our newsletter featuring Fidelity's Mutual Fund
Window (approximately 170 mutual funds). If your company has the
Fidelity Mutual Fund Window, we've got you covered!
CORPORATIONS - FIDUCIARY
RESPONSIBILITY
401kNewsletter.com is branching out into the corporate market segment of
401k newsletters. If you or your corporation is interested please contact
us today at
corporate@401knewsletter.com and we will be happy to discuss a
customized report with volume discounts. It is a inexpensive way to provide
an additional employee benefit while at the same time meet your fiduciary
responsibility in providing retirement plan information.