Compare our retirement vendors
| Investment Choices | |
|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments mutual fund company |
Choose from more than 100 mutual funds, including sector funds, covering a range of risk and return characteristics to help you build your retirement portfolio. |
| Prudential Financial insurance and mutual fund company |
One fixed annuity fund and 32 mutual funds. Prudential also offers an optional asset allocation tool called GoalMaker® with an automatic age adjustment feature. This tool is available at no additional cost, and the portfolios will shift as your retirement date approaches. |
| TIAA-CREF insurance and investment company |
Nine variable annuity accounts, including the TIAA Real Estate Account, one guaranteed fixed annuity, 11 "one-decision" target retirement date mutual funds, 5 equity based mutual funds, and 3 "Partner Fund" mutual funds offered by well-known non-TIAA-CREF companies. |
| The Vanguard Group mutual fund company |
Vanguard offers an impressive selection of investments, including life-cycle, index, and actively managed investment styles; stock and bond funds; and short-term reserve options. Vanguard also offers convenient access to non-Vanguard funds. |
| Why Choose Us? | |
| Fidelity Investments mutual fund company |
America's largest privately held investment company was founded in 1946. Fidelity has always been committed to providing exceptional money management, outstanding customer service, and state-of-the-art technology. Fidelity is committed to providing a range of investment options, proven long-term performance, educational resources, and superior customer service to all our participants to help them plan for retirement. In addition, Fidelity offers diversification of choices including different market capitalization funds (large, mid and small cap), and valuable investment planning tools including NetBenefits and Portfolio Planner. Individual retirement consultations are available by appointment on the USC campuses. |
| Prudential Financial insurance and mutual fund company |
New and improved investment options allow more choice for plan participants. We offer solid investment options, easy internet and phone account access, and individual consultation services by a Financial Advisor. Let us help you develop an individual retirement strategy. |
| TIAA-CREF insurance and investment company |
For over 90 years, TIAA-CREF has brought low cost, high quality investment products and services designed and offered exclusively for people in education, research, healthcare, and other related not-for-profit institutions. TIAA-CREF's trusted reputation for offering objective guidance and advice, through a dedicated team of non-commissioned investment professionals, has helped countless people achieve financial security for retirement. TIAA-CREF's unsurpassed reputation and dedication to the higher education marketplace has helped sustain the highest ratings from independent ratings agencies, which is a reliable testament to the financial strength and claims paying ability of the company. TIAA-CREF products are priced among the lowest in the industry, and regular onsite counseling is provided at all campuses on a monthly basis, and at local office locations in Pasadena and Newport Beach. |
| The Vanguard Group mutual fund company |
Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment management companies, with more than $1.6 trillion in assets. Vanguard offers high-quality rated funds, award-winning client service, and costs that are well below the industry average. Make an appointment with us for a review of your situation. |
| Changing Your Investment | |
| Fidelity Investments mutual fund company |
Typically, there are no limits on moving funds between investment options or to another company. However, there are excessive trading limits as well as short-term trading fees for some funds. Contact Fidelity for additional information. |
| Prudential Financial insurance and mutual fund company |
No limits on moving funds within the mutual funds. A Guaranteed Interest Account transfer charge may be applied to monies transferred from the GIA to other investments within your account. |
| TIAA-CREF insurance and investment company |
Participants can exchange freely among the variable and mutual fund accounts. To preserve the highest interest rate possible, exchanges from the fixed annuity accounts (TIAA Traditional) are limited to 10% per year. |
| The Vanguard Group mutual fund company |
Vanguard allows you to enjoy the flexibility of changing your investment options as you need to, even between companies. Note: Because Vanguard advocates a long-term investment approach, you may not exchange into a fund account for 60 calendar days after an exchange out of that fund account occurred. Please be aware that Vanguard may limit exchange privileges if it is determined that a participant is exchanging to the detriment of a fund. Refer to the fund prospectuses for more detailed information. |
| Surrender Charges or Limitations | |
| Fidelity Investments mutual fund company |
Typically, there are no limits on moving funds between investment options or to another company. However, there are excessive trading limits as well as short-term trading fees for some funds. Contact Fidelity for additional information. |
| Prudential Financial insurance and mutual fund company |
No surrender charges or limitations. |
| TIAA-CREF insurance and investment company |
There are no surrender charges or limitations on any variable annuity or mutual fund accounts. Balances in the Group Retirement Annuity contracts are fully available within the first 120 days after termination of employment with a 2.5% surrender charge. After 120 days, withdrawals are limited to 20% per year with no surrender charge. Cash withdrawals from Retirement Annuity contracts are limited to 10% per year with no surrender charge. |
| The Vanguard Group mutual fund company |
Vanguard has no surrender charges or limitations. (Some funds carry a small redemption fee—which is paid directly to the fund—to discourage market-timing and frequent trading or to offset the costs associated with buying and selling certain types of securities.) |
| Management Fee/Other Expenses | |
| Fidelity Investments mutual fund company |
.05% to 1.99% per fund |
| Prudential Financial insurance and mutual fund company |
No fees on fixed annuities. Fees on variable annuity accounts* and mutual funds range from .39% to 1.58%. *Variable annuity accounts closed to new investors. |
| TIAA-CREF insurance and investment company |
Fees on variable and mutual fund accounts range from .31% to 1.01%. |
| The Vanguard Group mutual fund company |
Vanguard funds had an average expense ratio of 0.21% in 2011, compared with an industry average of 1.15%—more than five times as high. (An expense ratio is the percentage of a fund's assets used to pay to run the fund.) |
| For More Information about Service and Performance | |
| Fidelity Investments mutual fund company |
(800) 343-0860 for retirement specialist and customer service (800) 642-7131 to schedule an appointment at USC www.fidelity.com for fund info www.403b.com to access your account |
| Prudential Financial insurance and mutual fund company |
(800) 458-6333 (800) 428-1142 for financial advisor www.uscpru.com to access your account |
| TIAA-CREF insurance and investment company |
(800) 842-2252 Monday–Friday from 5 am to 7 pm PT and from 6 am to 3 pm PT on Saturdays Web and automated telephone service, 24/7 www.tiaa-cref.org/usc. |
| The Vanguard Group mutual fund company |
Connect with Vanguard (800) 523-1188 www.vanguard.com |
Participant Fee Disclosure Notice
The Participant Fee Disclosure Notice, required by the Department of Labor, was developed to help ensure that participants (and also employees who are not participating or not yet eligible to participate) receive sufficient information regarding their plan and the investment options available to them.
USC has directed Fidelity Investments, one of the vendors available under the USC Retirement Savings Program, to collect this data from all of the vendors and present their information in a combined notice. This publication contains information that can help you make informed decisions about any account you may have in the retirement plan and includes:
- Fees and expenses related to plan accounts
- Participant rights under the plan
- Rules related to providing investment direction
- Details about the plan's investment options, including investment-related fees and restrictions
For most participants, this notice will be provided annually. The most recent disclosures:
If you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact the USC Retirement Administration Office at rpadmin@usc.edu.
