Investment options
Investing is about putting your money to work so it grows over time and helps you meet your future needs. With EARNS, you have access to a range of investment options, allowing you to invest your contributions based on your retirement goals. Like most retirement programs, EARNS offers a variety of investment options, ranging from conservative to aggressive. How you choose to invest will depend on your risk tolerance. The descriptions below can also give you a sense of what each investment option can offer. Before making any investment decisions, seek competent financial advice.
Choose what’s best for you
When you enroll in EARNS, you have the option to stay invested in the default investment option, or you can choose your own fund(s).
Your fund choices
Capital Preservation
This option is intended to be a cash-like fund that seeks to help investors preserve the value of their savings by investing in money market securities. The Capital Preservation Option is 100% invested in the State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund (Ticker: GVMXX). All participants in EARNS will be enrolled automatically in the Capital Preservation Option for 30 days, unless they have chosen otherwise.
Target Retirement
Each Target Retirement Date Option has a specific “target date” (e.g., 2035, 2045, 2055) and invests in a mix of stocks and bond funds based on how far away it is from its target date. Certain funds have been created to drive growth for younger investors who can take more risk and become more conservative over time to help investors preserve savings as the funds near their target dates. Target Retirement Date Options are available for savers of all ages and are usually selected by picking the fund that is closest to the year you expect to retire.
The Target Retirement Date Options are 100% invested in State Street Retirement Funds. These funds invest in an assortment of stock and bond funds managed by State Street. The Target Retirement Date Options available include:
EARNS Target Retirement Option
State Street Target Retirement Fund
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2020
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2020
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2025
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2025
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2030
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2030
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2035
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2035
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2040
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2045
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2045
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2050
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2050
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2055
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2055
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2060
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2060
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2065
State Street Target Retirement Fund 2065
EARNS Target Retirement Option 2070
Bond Index
The Bond Index Option is intended to be a more conservative option that seeks to help investors preserve the value of their savings, while still earning income by investing in bonds. The Bond Index Option is 100% invested in the State Street Aggregate Bond Index Fund (SSFEX).
International Equity
The International Equity Option invests in a portfolio of assets whose performance seeks to match the performance of the MSCI All Country World ex-U.S. Index. This option is designed for investors with a longer time horizon (10 years or more) and will provide the highest level of risk and the potential for higher return out of the investment options. This option is 100% invested in the BlackRock iShares MSCI Total International Index Fund (Ticker: BDOKX)
It’s important to know that all investing comes with some degree of risk. Nothing on this page should be construed as investment advice. If you need help, you should consider consulting with a qualified financial advisor before making a decision to invest in any fund.