Anyone Know Transamerica Retirement Solutions?

[Marita40]

SIGH--once again my employer is shifting retirement plans and we are forced to go through a complicated procedure of figuring out new investment options, fees, websites, etc. for the 403b. With every change it seems we actually lose more benefits than we gain (and contrary to the "This is excellent news!" rah-rah information we are force fed). I've had my savings in Fidelity up to now but now all new monies will go into Transamerica Retirement Solutions with the option of moving the Fidelity holdings over there as well.

We just went through a complicated HSA change that was a fiasco of mismanagement. I'm just very weary. Anyone know of TRS--is this really a good thing?? Thanks.

 

[MRG]

I know of them. There a part of mega insurance company AEGON. Their 'I' class shares are, I'd hope, are what you can buy into, class A and C not so good. All I saw were active managed funds, the one I looked into breifly had an ER of around .88%.

Their sub advisor is Wellington, the group that runs the W funds for Vanguard. Don't know the extent of the sub advisors guidance they use.

 

[unno2002]

[FONT=&quot]Checking online, for example it looks like if a company used Charles Schwab as the 401k custodian, the plan could be written such that employees could invest in ANYTHING that Schwab as a broker handles. And 401k investment selections can go beyond the stock / bond / mutual fund market. [/FONT]

 

[MooreBonds]

I had Transamerica at my former employer, which was ~100 person firm, maybe 175 401k accounts (based on the form 4400 annual filings that I looked up), about $5MM in plan assets.

Our investment options were palatable - for an average 401k. I'm sure each 401k plan that is offered completely depends on how it was negotiated. The former plan had some decent funds, but just on the surface. There were some Vanguard small cap and mid cap 'index funds', which made me happy...until I looked down at the total ER and saw a number around 0.90%!

Be very watchful of the actual total ER, not just the name or description of the fund offerings.

I still maxed out my 401k each year, because I knew I probably wasn't going to be there for 20 years, and would be able to roll over it to my own IRA after I left.

 

[MRG]

[FONT=&quot]Checking online, for example it looks like if a company used Charles Schwab as the 401k custodian, the plan could be written such that employees could invest in ANYTHING that Schwab as a broker handles. And 401k investment selections can go beyond the stock / bond / mutual fund market. [/FONT]

True, Actually my 401k custodian handles investments(IIRC) they can't sell, where they're located. Do check out the ERs even if you know of the fund.

 

[GreenER]

I have money invested with several different plans at my work place due to an earlier warped idea about diversification. I had been planning on consolidating in any case but I am getting worried now, I had always looked at the funds ER. Now I'm looking at the specific plans and trying to find a total ER and coming up empty handed. Is this one of those facts that I will have to call to unearth? Specifically wondering about hidden expenses with Fidelity versus Plan Member Services.