Target Date Fund Advanced

  • Level: Advanced
  • Duration: 1 hour
  • Credits: 1.0 CEU
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Course Description

This advanced course expands on foundational Target Date Fund (TDF) concepts, equipping plan fiduciaries with deeper insights into glidepath evaluation, risk analysis, and fiduciary process documentation. Participants will learn how to assess glidepath design, equity allocation, and terminal points to ensure alignment with participant demographics and retirement timelines. The course explores differences between custom and proprietary TDFs, examining the trade-offs between flexibility, cost, and oversight complexity. Learners will analyze risk-adjusted performance metrics, peer benchmarking methods, and Department of Labor (DOL) guidance to strengthen fiduciary processes. Real-world litigation lessons and documentation strategies provide actionable tools to enhance governance, reduce liability exposure, and ensure prudent TDF selection and monitoring.

Learning Objectives

By completing this course, you will be able to:
  • Evaluate glidepath features such as equity allocation, de-risking slopes, and terminal points to assess TDF suitability for participant demographics.
  • Compare custom and proprietary TDF structures, weighing their benefits and monitoring complexities.
  • Analyze various types of risk within TDFs and evaluate fee structures, transparency, and manager composition.
  • Apply multi-perspective benchmarking tools, including peer groups and risk-adjusted metrics, to assess TDF performance.
  • Integrate DOL guidance, litigation lessons, and documentation strategies to strengthen fiduciary oversight processes.

Course Lessons

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