News You Can Use: Target-date funds falter

Is any retirement vehicle safe? I keep looking, but all I see are returns that are the financial equivalent of auto crash tests where the dummy's body snaps all around then slumps over the wheel. Know what I mean?

Although target-date funds were supposed be set it and forgettable savings vehicles for employee-investors -- pick your dream retirement date and let the fund do the rest -- a recent Wall Street Journal report cites data from Morningstar that show that some 2010 funds have lost as much as 20%. Among other funds, Morningstar examined 275 of them, and found 50 posted more than 38.5% drops in 2008, including the Oppenheimer 2010 fund, that lost 41.3%.

Yikes.

Mark your calendar to check out an EBN report on 2010 funds in our March issue.

What has been your experience with target-date funds? Comment below.