Glide Path Design
Target Date Glide Path Design
Our two glide paths were designed to help balance the three primary investment risks that participants face:
1. Longevity risk
The risk that participants will outlive their retirement savings.
2. Inflation risk
The risk of losing purchasing power over time due to insufficient capital appreciation.
3. Market risk
The risk of principal loss due to negative market fluctuation.
A target date glide path focused on supporting lifetime income will tilt more toward offsetting inflation and longevity risks. Whereas a glide path focused on moderating volatility near the target date will tilt more toward offsetting market risk.
Comparison
While the allocations for both the Retirement Funds and the Target Funds continue to shift for 30 years past the target retirement date, they differ in equity allocations along the glide path.
Retirement
The glide path has a higher equity allocation to address inflation and longevity risks.
- Higher equity allocation in transition to retirement than the industry average.
- Higher potential to support income withdrawals over longer time periods.
- Higher potential growth during the accumulation phase.
- 55% equity at the expected retirement date
Target
The glide path has more moderate equity exposure to address market risk.
- Equity allocation in transition to retirement close to industry average.
- Higher potential to support moderate post retirement withdrawal time periods.
- Lower potential volatility in the transition to retirement.
- 42.5% equity at the expected retirement date.
The principal value of the Retirement Funds and Target Funds (collectively, the “target date funds”) is not guaranteed at any time, including at or after the target date, which is the approximate year an investor plans to retire (assumed to be age 65) and likely stop making new investments in the fund. If an investor plans to retire significantly earlier or later than age 65, the funds may not be an appropriate investment even if the investor is retiring on or near the target date. The target date funds' allocations among a broad range of underlying T. Rowe Price stock and bond funds will change over time. The Retirement Funds emphasize potential capital appreciation during the early phases of retirement asset accumulation, balance the need for appreciation with the need for income as retirement approaches, and focus on supporting an income stream over a long-term retirement withdrawal horizon. The Target Funds emphasize asset accumulation prior to retirement, balance the need for reduced market risk and income as retirement approaches, and focus on supporting an income stream over a moderate postretirement withdrawal horizon. The target date funds are not designed for a lump-sum redemption at the target date and do not guarantee a particular level of income. The key difference between the Retirement Funds and the Target Funds is the overall allocation to equity; although they each maintain significant allocations to equities both prior to and after the target date, the Retirement Funds maintain a higher equity allocation, which can result in greater volatility over shorter time horizons.
