Most University employees in their 30s have heard they should be “aggressive” investors. Aggressive does not mean gambling. It means structuring your 403(b) investments to use your longer time horizon while still protecting yourself from major mistakes. When you are in your 30s, you have two big advantages: Time to recover from market downturns. Consistent income from your University job that allows you to keep contributing even when the market dips. However, many employe

If you are a University employee in your 30s, retirement might feel like a distant goal. Between advancing your career, paying off student loans, or supporting a family, saving for the future can easily slip down the priority list. But this decade is critical. The choices you make now can shape your retirement options for decades to come. Time Is Your Biggest Advantage Here is the good news: time is on your side. Thanks to the power of compound growth, even small contribut

Before you go on, check out part 4 to learn why rebalancing your retirement plan matters. Even if you’ve picked solid investments and...

Haven’t read part 3 yet? Understand how investment fees affect your long-term returns. It’s easy to assume your retirement plan doesn’t...

Catch up on Part 1 and Part 2 to learn how to build the right investment mix for your life and goals You probably know that investing involves risk, but what many people don’t realize is that investing also comes with costs, and some of them are surprisingly well hidden. These costs might not show up on your paycheck or monthly statement, but they quietly reduce your returns over time. If you’re using a Fidelity or TIAA retirement plan through your university, it’s worth lea

Missed Blog 1? Learn what’s actually inside your Fidelity or TIAA plan and why it matters. If your eyes glaze over the moment someone...

If you're a university employee with a Fidelity or TIAA retirement plan, you've probably had this experience: you enrolled, picked a few investment options with responsible-sounding names, and haven't thought about it much since. That's completely normal, but it doesn't mean it's working as well as it could be. Understanding what's actually inside your plan isn't just for financial experts. It's for anyone who wants to feel confident that their money is doing what they need i

Stock indexes continue to set new highs, even as prices stretch to unprecedented levels. Valuations may be sky high, but investor worries...

If you have ever thought, “I will never save enough,” there is good news. The IRS offers a special opportunity for those who are getting...