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Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
  • Preparing your Portfolio for Rate Cuts
    @johnN, good to see you posting again. Bonds are low hanging fruits - say 5-7% total return with low to moderate risk. Stocks are richly valued right now. Swings between recession and euphoria may offer long term opportunities.
  • Berkshire Hathaway: A mutual fund in disguise?
    Long, long ago, Buffett ceased being a diehard value investor, seeking instead what he regarded as great companies at good prices. It is not for me to say whether he currently owns great companies (aside from See’s, that is). But their prices are certainly moderate. Were this a fund, Morningstar would classify its portfolio as large (or possibly mid) value.
    Article:
    berkshire-hathaway-mutual-fund-disguise
    A previous MFO discussion (2020) on the topic:
    https://mutualfundobserver.com/discuss/discussion/57318/is-berkshire-more-like-a-mutual-fund-than-a-stock/p1
  • Vanguard to Bolster Active Fixed Income Lineup with Two Active Municipal ETFs
    nice summary, msf.
    many here have been marching up daily last few months regardless of S&P500 ups\downs.
  • Vanguard to Bolster Active Fixed Income Lineup with Two Active Municipal ETFs
    I am more focused on the short term fund and I did a little comparing already. Vanguard has three short-ish muni funds: VMLUX, VTES, and VWSUX.
    Vanguard comparison page
    New funds' prospectus (draft)
    VTES is passively managed. VSDM (Short Duration Tax-Exempt ETF) is actively managed.
    VWSUX was until a year ago named Short-Term; it's now Ultra-Short-Term. I haven't checked whether the fund actually changed its portfolio then or just its name. It's a bit higher grade than VDSM. At least 75% in A range, at most 20% Baa and 5% junk. In comparison, VDSM can invest up to 20% in junk. Maturities are different. VWSUX shoots for 1-2 year average. VDSM is longer at 2-7 years. VDSM doesn't yet say what its expected duration will be.
    VMLUX invests the same way as VWSUX (higher quality), just with longer maturities: 2-6 years. So in comparison, VDSM is lower quality and perhaps slightly longer maturities (2-7 years).
    That makes VDSM higher risk, both credit risk and interest rate risk, than existing Vanguard actively managed muni funds. It's also slightly more expensive, with a 0.12% expense ratio compared to 0.09% for the existing funds' Admiral shares and 0.07 to VTES's cost.
    Benefits? That's for you to decide, whether you want to go out a little further on the risk spectrum.
    Likewise VCRM (Core Tax-Exempt ETF) looks to be more junky than existing funds, though its average maturity will be in the 3-10 year range.
    Vanguard comparison page for VTEI, VWIUX
    Same comments apply. VTEI is passively managed, and both existing funds are cheaper than VCRM's 0.12% ER.
    What you get with these new funds is active management in an ETF wrapper. That's new for Vanguard.
    If one wants to go even shorter, Fidelity offers FMNDX with an average maturity of 1 year or less, same quality as Vanguard's existing funds (up to 20% junk), higher ER (0.25%), and no frequent trading restrictions.
  • Finominal.com's Review of Vanguard's Primecap Fund [VPMCX]
    "Our Alpha Analyzer tool suggests the Russell 3000 Index as the most appropriate benchmark, but we select the S&P Growth Index given the focus on large-cap growth stocks and similar tracking error and correlation. We observe that VPMCX generated significant outperformance between 2001 and 2006, but none thereafter."
    M* placed VPMCX in the Large Growth category from 2014 through 2020.
    From 2021 through YTD the fund resided in the Large Blend category.
    Prior to 2014, I believe VPMCX was often classified as Large Growth by M*.
    It's not unusual for this active fund to experience bouts of underperformance.
    The fund's prospectus includes the S&P 500 Index for comparison.
    VPMCX calendar year returns for 2019 - 2021 lagged VFIAX & IVW returns.
    The fund handily outperformed VFIAX from 01/03/2007 to 08/22/2024
    while its overall performance was similar to IVW during this timeframe.

    Portfolio Backtester
  • Franklin Resources (BEN) falls 12.5% Wednesday on SEC Probe of Western Asset Management CEO
    Ken Leech, co-CIO, began a leave of absence after receiving a Wells notice from the SEC.
    John Bellows (head of broad markets team) suddenly left Western Asset on 05/01/2024.
    These are substantial developments regarding key personnel at Western Asset.
    https://www.morningstar.com/funds/sudden-exit-ken-leech-western-asset
  • A Conservative portfolio design
    Shooting for 7% returns over time, but with very low volatility (SD). I am considering the following allocation:
    PHEFX 15%
    FMSDX 15%
    CBLDX 15%
    SWHFX 10%
    PVCMX 10%
    HMEZX 10%
    HELO 10%
    PRPFX 5%
    LCORX 5%
    RSIVX 5%
    Can you do better? Please share your ideas.

    As my CDs mature, I am considering the following low volatility allocation for my retirement portfolio :
    HELO 10%
    ICMUX 25%
    PRCFX 25%
    QQMNX 15%
    RCTIX 25%
    Two of the funds are fairly new, HELO and PRCFX, but they are run by excellent and very experienced managers.
    Available PV data over the past eight months is as follows:
    Total Return = 9%
    Std Deviation = 2.8%
    Sharpe Ratio= 2.8
    Sortino Ratio = 4.8
    Can I do better, JD? I don't know, just sharing my ideas.
    But, good luck.
  • Boeing plea.
    IOW, undo the Boeing/McDonnell Douglas merger.
    The European Commission in reviewing the merger considered " potential spillover of benefits from the McDonnell Douglas defense business to the Boeing commercial airplane business"
    https://boeing.mediaroom.com/1997-07-23-Boeing-McDonnell-Douglas-Merger-Gains-a-Positive-Opinion-from-the-European-Commission
    Up through1996, " McDonnell Douglas [had been] the leader in defense aircraft for many years", while "Boeing had not received lead military program contracts for over 40 years."
    " McDonnell Douglas' commercial aircraft division, Douglas Aircraft Company (DAC), no longer exerted a competitive influence in the worldwide market for commercial aircraft. [FTC conclusion regarding merger]"
    https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/56358984.pdf
    You can spin off MD, but can you take 25 years of culture out of BA? It's been pervasive.
    --------------
    From the NPR article: " NASA has decided to reconfigure things so that this capsule has two seats free and available for Williams and Wilmore to catch a ride home."
    What the NPR piece didn't mention was that they'll be sending up spare spacesuits since Starliner's aren't compatible with SpaceX's.
    "NASA and SpaceX currently are working several items before launch, including reconfiguring seats on the Crew-9 Dragon, and adjusting the manifest to carry additional cargo, personal effects, and Dragon-specific spacesuits for Wilmore and Williams."
    https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-decides-to-bring-starliner-spacecraft-back-to-earth-without-crew/
  • TSUMX. Portfolio mgr changes?
    I see this Edgar/SEC filing dated 8/21/24 announcing these changes for Ben KIRBY and Jeff KLINGELHOFER. They were managing several Thornburg funds. Their bios appear on Thornburg website. Kirby was also managing $13.8 billion TIBAX / TIBIX and Thornburg's only CEF TBLD ($542 million).
    "Effective August 20, 2024, Matt Burdett has been named Head of Equities and Christian Hoffmann has been named Head of Fixed Income of Thornburg Investment Management, Inc. (“Thornburg”), replacing Ben Kirby and Jeff Klingelhofer who will conclude their service as Co-Heads of Investments of Thornburg on September 30, 2024."
    Burdett and Hoffman are already part of TIBIX and TBLD teams. In TSUMX, they will be REPLACING Kirby and Klingelhofer.
    May be retirement? Moving on? Scandal?
    Someone who is keeping tabs on Thornburg should comment on these developments.
    Edgar/SEC https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/816153/000199937124010454/tbit-497_082124.htm
    Ben Kirby https://www.thornburg.com/people/ben-kirby/
    Jeff Klingelhofer https://www.thornburg.com/people/jeff-klingelhofer/
    Matt Burdett https://www.thornburg.com/people/matt-burdett/
    Christian Hoffmann https://www.thornburg.com/people/christian-hoffmann/
  • Boeing plea.
    And now? FEBRUARY. And they'll return to Earth via SpaceX, not the Boeing Starliner.
    https://www.npr.org/2024/08/24/nx-s1-5087892/nasa-starliner-astronaut-return-iss-spacex
  • Work stoppages in Canada's RRs next week could screw up our own supply chains.
    It's beautiful country up there. I visited a few years ago.
    Unfortunately, this is what kept running through my mind:
  • BONDS The week that was.... December 31, 2024..... Bond NAV's...Most positive. FINAL REPORT 2024
    I was window shopping last night. Happened upon IGIB. iShares/Black Rock ETF. IG Corps, 5-10 year duration. But the fund doesn't stick its neck out re: duration much, within the frame. Rock bottom ER at .04. Passive.
    At or near 52-week high at the moment. Eyeing it as replacement for the bulk of my junk bonds. I am so loathe to pull the trigger and sell my junk. I like my junk. I enjoy my junk. I like the taste of my junk. Great yield on my junk, still. (I better quit. This is a family show.). ...How I hate to see the summer waning.
  • The Week in Charts | Charlie Bilello
    The Week in Charts (08/23/24)
    The most important charts and themes in markets and investing, including:
    00:00 Intro
    00:19 Free Wealth Path Analysis
    01:48 Topics
    03:18 From Panic to Euphoria
    06:23 Frontrunning the Fed
    08:47 Is the Unwinding of the "Carry Trade" Over?
    10:59 The Fed's Revisionist History
    18:19 Dollar Down, Gold Up
    21:02 A Tale of Two Housing Markets
    28:14 Q2 Earnings Update
    29:38 The Inexorable Rise of E-Commerce
    31:13 Lower Gas Prices
    Video
  • Variable Annuities - Fidelity and TIAA
    Keep in mind that before 403b/401k, 457 and IRAs came along, annuities were the primary tax-deferral vehicles.
    Today, if someone has max-ed out on all these (403b/401k, 457, IRAs), then annuities will make sense.
    It may not be a good idea to chase fixed-rate annuities. They may offer higher rates than CDs, but one the money is in annuity, it's stuck there - almost captive money. If you withdraw that money before 59.5, there is 10% penalty + tax. You can do 1035 exchanges to switch to another vendor.
    VAs operate almost like mutual funds or CITs except for the annuity wrapper restrictions. Many VAs are clones or cousins of mutual funds.
  • BONDS The week that was.... December 31, 2024..... Bond NAV's...Most positive. FINAL REPORT 2024
    NOTE:
    My intention, at this time; is to present the data for the select bond sectors, as listed; through the end of the year (2024). This 'end date' will take us through the U.S. elections period, pending actions/legislation dependent upon the election results, pending Federal Reserve actions and market movers trying to 'guess' future directions of the U.S. economy. As important during this period, are any number of global circumstances that may take a path that is not expected; and/or 'new' circumstances. In the 'cooking pot' we currently have the big ingredients of the middle east and also, how much damage Ukraine may inflict upon Russia and the response.
    W/E August 23, 2024..... Swings, but ending with + NAV's
    Bond NAV's had many price swings through the week, with many having a decent recovery pricing on Friday; allowing for a positive pricing week. A few numbers for your viewing pleasure.
    FIRST:
    *** UST yields chart, 6 month - 30 year. This chart is active and will display a 6 month time frame going forward to a future date. Place/hover the mouse pointer anywhere on a line to display the date and yield for that date. The percent to the right side is the percentage change in the yield from the chart beginning date for a particular item. You may also 'right click' on the 126 days at the chart bottom to change a 'time frame' from a drop down menu. Hopefully, the line graph also lets you view the 'yield curve' in a different fashion, for the longer duration issues, at this time. Save the page to your own device for future reference. NOTE: take a peek at the right side of this graph to find the yield swings of the past week, and for the current yields for the last business day.
    For the WEEK/YTD, NAV price changes, August 19 - August 23, 2024
    ***** This week (Friday), FZDXX, MMKT yield continues to move with Fed funds/repo/SOFR rates; and ended the week at 5.15% yield. MMKT's yields were basically unchanged from last week. Fidelity's MMKT's continue to maintain decent yields, as is presumed with other vendors similar MMKT's.
    --- AGG = +.65% / +3.71% (I-Shares Core bond), a benchmark, (AAA-BBB holdings)
    --- MINT = +.10% / +3.87% (PIMCO Enhanced short maturity, AAA-BBB rated)
    --- SHY = +.33% / +3.21% (UST 1-3 yr bills)
    --- IEI = +.56% / +3.49% (UST 3-7 yr notes/bonds)
    --- IEF = +.74% / +3.50% (UST 7-10 yr bonds)
    --- TIP = +.9% / +3.77% (UST Tips, 3-10 yrs duration, some 20+ yr duration)
    --- VTIP = +.41% / +3.83% (Vanguard Short-Term Infl-Prot Secs ETF)
    --- STPZ = +.53% / +3.83% (UST, short duration TIPs bonds, PIMCO)
    --- LTPZ = +1.78% / +3.62% (UST, long duration TIPs bonds, PIMCO)
    --- TLT = +.97% / +1.82% (I Shares 20+ Yr UST Bond
    --- EDV = +1.23% / +.66% (UST Vanguard extended duration bonds)
    --- ZROZ = +1.15% / -.82% (UST., AAA, long duration zero coupon bonds, PIMCO
    --- TBT = -1.8% / +1.6% (ProShares UltraShort 20+ Year Treasury (about 23 holdings)
    --- TMF = +2.66% / -7.37% (Direxion Daily 20+ Yr Trsy Bull 3X ETF (about a 2x version of EDV etf)
    *** Additional important bond sectors, for reference:
    --- BAGIX = +.60% / +4.05% Baird Aggregate Bond Fund (active managed, plain vanilla, high quality bond fund)
    --- LQD = +.88% / +4.01% (I Shares IG, corp. bonds)
    --- BKLN = +.21% / +4.53% (Invesco Senior Loan, Corp. rated BB & lower)
    --- HYG = +.71% / +4.37% (high yield bonds, proxy ETF)
    --- HYD = +.67%/+4.55% (VanEck HY Muni)
    --- MUB = +.31% /+1.47% (I Shares, National Muni Bond)
    --- EMB = +1.08%/+6.99% (I Shares, USD, Emerging Markets Bond)
    --- CWB = +1.42% / +3.79% (SPDR Bloomberg Convertible Securities)
    --- PFF = +1.26% / +6.51% (I Shares, Preferred & Income Securities)
    --- FZDXX = 5.15% yield (7 day), Fidelity Premium MMKT fund
    *** FZDXX yield was .11%, April,2022. (For reference to current date)
    Comments and corrections, please.
    Remain curious,
    Catch
  • Bloomberg Real Yield
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2024-08-23/bloomberg-real-yield-08-23-2024-video
    23 aug, '24.
    Rate cut: .25 or .50? Brian Rehling says .25, unless there is a huge shock to the labor market. Where to buy? Intermediate-term. No surprise. Olli Rehn, at Jackson Hole. Bank of Finland. Predictable conversation.
  • Variable Annuities - Fidelity and TIAA
    I looked into the Monument Annuity years ago. It looked like an interesting idea. Then it was sold to Nationwide and as I recall it became difficult to buy without an advisor. Glad to see one can buy it direct again.
    All in costs are comparable to other low cost VAs. When one invests in DFA or Vanguard funds with Monument, there's an extra 0.35%/year. (look for Low Cost Platform in the prospectus.) The share class of Fidelity funds that are available include a 0.25% 12b-1 fee. For example, here's the Monument page for Fidelity VIP Balanced (0.69% net), and the page for Fidelity VIP Balanced through Fidelity (0.51% net).
    The tickers I gave, despite their cryptic look, work on M*. You can add them to a portfolio. You can use them in a chart (pull up another fund and add the VA fund in the compare box). You can even do a search on these tickers in the "new" Morningstar.
    What you can't do is pull up a page on most of these funds. The search box will find the fund and translate the name to English; it won't give you a link to a fund page.
  • Variable Annuities - Fidelity and TIAA
    Thanks @msf,
    Those annuity flavor ticker symbols are a pain.
    A family member has a VA annuity from Monument Advisors (Nationwide) which has a $20 / month flat fee and 350 mutual fund choices from DFA, Vanguard, Fidelity and others.
    We self manage this annuity so no advisor fees.
    https://nationwideadvisory.com/products/monument-advisor
    Performance and fees of the 350 choices:
    https://nationwideadvisory.com/tools/aboutfunds/annuityfundperformance.cfm
  • Variable Annuities - Fidelity and TIAA
    Fund					Class	ER	Ticker		M* 	Lipper	Annuity
    Taxable Bonds
    Bank Loans
    Fidelity VIP Floating Rate High Inc. Inv. 0.79% 0P00011U4F 5 5/4/5/3 Fidelity
    High Yield
    Fidelity VIP High Income Inv. 0.86% 0P00003ESA 2 1/1/2/4 Fidelity
    Vanguard VIF High Yield Bond Port. 0.24% 0P00003DCW 3 3/3/3/5 TIAA
    Western Asset Variable Gl HY Bond Cl. I 0.83% QLMYIX 1 5/5/1/3 TIAA
    Inflation-Protected
    PIMCO VIT Real Return Portfolio Inst. 0.69% 0P00003E0V 4 5/5/4/5 TIAA
    PIMCO VIT Real Return Portfolio Admin. 0.84% 0P00003CE4 3 4/4/4/3 Fidelity
    Intermediate Term Core
    Fidelity VIP Bond Index Init. 0.14% FVIOX 2 2/2/3/5 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investment Grade Bond Inv. 0.42% 0P00003ESB 5 5/5/3/4 Fidelity
    Vanguard VIF Global Bond Index Port. 0.13% 0P0001ANO2 3 3/3/4/5 TIAA
    Vanguard VIF Total Bond Mkt Index 0.14% 0P00003BSD 3 3/3/3/5 TIAA
    Intermediate Term Core Plus
    LVIP Macquarie Diversified Income Std. 0.54% 0P00003E8R 3 4/4/2/4 TIAA
    Nuveen Life Core Bond Fund 0.35% TLBDX 3 5/5/4/5 TIAA
    PIMCO VIT Total Return Admin. 0.75% 0P00003C9R 3 3/3/3/3 Fidelity
    Intermediate Term Government
    Franklin U.S. Gov Securities VIP Cl. 2 0.77% 0P00003CI6 3 2/2/4/2 Fidelity
    Multisector
    Fidelity VIP Strategic Income Inv. 0.68% 0P00003ESI 4 5/5/4/4 Fidelity
    Short Term
    Matson Money Fixed Income VI Port. 0.86% FMVFX 1 4/4/5/3 TIAA
    PIMCO VIT Low Duration Portfolio Admin. 0.69% 0P00003CIY 2 1/1/5/3 Fidelity
    T Rowe Price Limited-Term Bond Port. 0.50% 0P00003CWU 3 3/3/5/4 TIAA
    Ultrashort Term
    DFA VA Short-Term Fixed Port. Inst. 0.12% 0P00003C66 2 4/4/5/5 TIAA
    Emerging Market Bonds
    Morgan Stanley VIF Emrg. Mkts Debt Cl. I 1.10% MEMNX 3 3/3/1/2 Fidelity
    PIMCO VIT Emerging Mkts Bond Port. Inst. 1.12% 0P00005YP4 3 5/5/1/4 TIAA
    Global
    PIMCO VIT Global Bond Opp. Unhedged Inst. 0.86% 0P00003EXS 4 3/4/1/3 TIAA
    Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund Cl. 2 0.75% 0P00003C9Z 2 1/1/1/4 Fidelity
    Global - Hedged
    DFA VA Global Bond Portfolio Inst. 0.21% 0P00003D94 4 4/4/5/5 TIAA
    Sector Funds
    Communications
    Fidelity VIP Communications Services Inv. 0.70% 0P000087RM 5 2/2/3/4 Fidelity
    Consumer Cyclical
    Fidelity VIP Consumer Discretionary Inv. 0.69% 0P00003EST 3 4/4/2/4 Fidelity
    Consumer Defensive
    Fidelity VIP Consumer Staples Inv. 0.69% 0P000087RI 3 3/2/5/3 Fidelity
    Energy
    Fidelity VIP Energy Inv. 0.69% 0P00003ESD 4 5/5/2/4 Fidelity
    Financials
    Fidelity VIP Financials Inv. 0.71% 0P00003ESV 4 5/5/2/4 Fidelity
    Health
    Fidelity VIP Health Care Inv. 0.67% 0P00003ES9 3 1/1/4/5 Fidelity
    T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Port. Cl. I 0.86% 0P00003DWN 4 4/4/4/4 TIAA
    Industrials
    Fidelity VIP Industrials Inv. 0.70% 0P00003ESW 4 5/4/3/3 Fidelity
    Natural Resources
    Fidelity VIP Materials Inv. 0.72% 0P00008PZG 3 4/1/1/4 Fidelity
    PSF Natural Resources Portfolio Cl. II 0.91% 0P00003EKJ 3 3/4/2/3 TIAA
    Real Estate
    Fidelity VIP Real Estate Inv. 0.68% 0P00003ESG 2 1/1/1/5 Fidelity
    Nuveen Real Estate Select Securities 0.57% TLRSX 4 3/2/1/5 TIAA
    Vanguard VIF Real Estate Index 0.26% 0P00003D31 3 2/2/1/5 TIAA
    Global Real Estate
    VY CBRE Global Real Estate Port Cl. I 0.90% IRGIX 4 5/5/1/5 TIAA
    Technology
    Fidelity VIP Technology Inv. 0.67% 0P00003ESJ 4 5/5/2/5 Fidelity
    Utilities
    Fidelity VIP Utilities Inv. 0.69% 0P00003ESL 5 5/5/4/4 Fidelity
    MFS VIT Utilities Init. 0.79% 0P00003D2Y 3 2/2/4/3 TIAA
    Commodities Funds
    Broad Basket
    Credit Suisse Comm Return Strategy (base) 1.04% CCRSX 2 1/1/4/2 TIAA
    PIMCO VIT Comm Real Return Strat. Inst. 1.33% 0P00003ERD 2 3/3/3/5 TIAA
    PIMCO VIT Comm Real Return Strat. Admin. 1.48% 0P00003EG0 2 2/3/3/3 Fidelity
    Taxable Money Market Funds
    Government Money Market Funds
    Fidelity VIP Government MM Inv. 0.30% 0P00003ESE - - Fidelity
    Prime Money Market Funds
    Nuveen Life Money Market Fund 15.00% TLMXX - - TIAA
  • Variable Annuities - Fidelity and TIAA
    These are two of the least expensive and most flexible VAs around. Fidelity charges 0.25% and 0.10% for over $1M in the VA. TIAA charges anywhere from 0.50% (under $100K) to 0.35% (up to $500K) and 0.25% (over $500K). But all those go down to 0.10% independent of value after ten years.
    Fidelity tends to include the second cheapest share class of VA portfolios (think "retail") while TIAA tends to include the cheapest share class (think "institutional"). All in, the two have similar costs for the first ten years, then TIAA becomes much cheaper.
    The real question, though, is how their underlying portfolios perform. I've looked up (via Financial Times search) all the portfolios open to new investors. Below is the table I built for myself (slightly edited for formatting here). Note: the M* ratings are for the portfolios themselves.
    On the VAs' websites you'll find different ratings. That's because what you're seeing are there the ratings of the funds including the annuity fees. Since the annuity fees of both of these VAs are so low, those star ratings tend to be mostly 4s and 5s. The ratings of the funds themselves, included here, give a better picture of the funds' performance.
    Since there are so many funds, I've split the table into two posts - broad equity in the first, sectors and fixed income in the second.
    Fund					Class	ER	Ticker		M* 	Lipper	Annuity
    Allocation Portfolios
    Conservative Allocation
    Fidelity VIP FundsManager 20 Inv. 0.55% 0P00003EYS 4 3/2/5/5 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP FundsManager 30 Inv. 0.57% 0P0001Q617 - - Fidelity
    Moderately Conservative Allocation
    Fidelity VIP FundsManager 40 Inv. 0.62% 0P0001Q618 - - Fidelity
    Franklin Income VIP Cl 1 0.46% 0P00003BNK 5 4/3/4/5 TIAA
    Nuveen Life Funds Balanced 0.51% TLBAX 5 4/4/4/5 TIAA
    Vanguard VIF Conservative Alloc. 0.13% 0P0000TNLX 4 5/5/5/5 TIAA
    Moderate Allocation
    Fidelity VIP Asset Manager Inv. 0.61% 0P00003ESQ 2 3/3/4/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Balanced Inv. 0.51% 0P00003ESS 5 5/5/2/5 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP FundsManager 50 Inv. 0.70% 0P00003EYT 3 4/3/4/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP FundsManager 60 Inv. 0.71% 0P00008YBH 3 2/2/3/4 Fidelity
    Vanguard VIF Balanced Portfolio 0.21% 0P00003BRZ 4 5/5/3/5 TIAA
    Vanguard VIF Moderate Alloc. 0.13% 0P0000TNLY 3 4/4/3/5 TIAA
    Moderately Aggressive Allocation
    Fidelity VIP Asset Manager: Growth Inv. 0.72% 0P00003ESP 3 3/3/2/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP FundsManager 70 Inv. 0.74% 0P00003EYU 3 4/4/2/4 Fidelity
    Aggressive Allocation
    Fidelity VIP FundsManager 85 Inv. 0.78% 0P00003EYW 4 4/4/1/4 Fidelity
    Target Date
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2010 0.44% 0P00003ET2 3 x/x/5/x Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2015 0.48% 0P00003ET4 4 x/x/5/x Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2020 0.51% 0P00003ET3 5 4/4/4/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2025 0.54% 0P00003ET5 5 5/5/3/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2030 0.58% 0P00003ET6 5 5/5/2/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2035 0.63% 0P0001OWHR - - Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2040 0.68% 0P0001OWHT - - Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2045 0.69% 0P0001OWHU - - Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom 2050 0.69% 0P0001OWHV - - Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Investor Freedom Inc. 0.40% 0P00003ET8 3 2/2/5/5 Fidelity
    Tactical Allocation
    Morgan Stanley VIF Global Strat. Cl. I 0.90% MIMPX 3 2/2/2/3 Fidelity
    PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio Inst. 2.04% 0P00003EXR 3 3/4/4/1 TIAA
    Global Allocation
    BlackRock Global Allocation VI Cl. 2 0.92% 0P00003E89 4 3/3/3/3 Fidelity
    DFA VA Global Moderate Allocation Inst. 0.28% 0P0000XY87 5 5/5/4/5 TIAA
    US Equity Portfolios
    Large Cap Blend
    ClearBridge Variable Growth Port. Cl. I 0.85% QLMGOX 1 1/2/2/3 TIAA
    DFA Equity Allocation Inst. 0.32% 0P00019RXP 2 5/5/4/5 TIAA
    Fidelity VIP Growth & Income Inv. 0.57% 0P00003ES4 4 5/5/5/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Index 500 Init. 0.09% 0P00003BWH 4 5/5/5/5 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Total Market Index Init. 0.11% FVIDX 3 4/4/4/5 Fidelity
    Nuveen Life Core Equity Fund 0.52% TLGWX 4 5/5/4/5 TIAA
    Nuveen Life Large Cap Resp. Equity 0.22% TLCHX 3 3/3/4/5 TIAA
    Nuveen Life Stock Index Fund 0.08% TLSTX 3 4/5/4/5 TIAA
    Vanguard VIF Capital Growth Port. 0.34% 0P00003DVM 4 4/4/5/5 TIAA
    Vanguard VIF Equity Index 0.14% 0P00003BS4 4 5/5/5/5 TIAA
    Vanguard VIF Total Stock Mkt Index 0.13% 0P00003DVK 3 4/4/4/5 TIAA
    Large Cap Growth
    Fidelity VIP Contrafund Inv. 0.64% 0P00003ESR 4 4/4/4/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Dynamic Cap Apprec. Inv. 0.70% 0P00003ESX 4 4/4/4/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Growth Inv. 0.65% 0P00003ES7 5 5/5/4/5 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Growth Opportunities Inv. 0.67% 0P00003ES3 4 5/5/1/5 Fidelity
    Janus Henderson VIT Forty Port. Inst. 0.55% JACAX 3 3/4/3/5 TIAA
    MFS VIT Mass. Inv. Growth Stock Port. Init. 0.73% 0P00003CPY 3 3/3/4/4 TIAA
    Nuveen Life Growth Equity Fund 0.52% TLGQX 3 2/3/3/5 TIAA
    PSF PGIM Jennison Blend Portfolio Cl. II 0.86% 0P00003CBD 3 2/1/4/2 TIAA
    Large Cap Value
    DFA VA Large Value Portfolio Inst. 0.21% 0P00003CUU 2 2/2/3/5 TIAA
    Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Inv. 0.55% 0P00003ESO 4 4/5/5/5 Fidelity
    Franklin Mutual Shares VIP Cl. 1 0.68% 0P00003CBB 1 1/1/4/4 TIAA
    Nuveen Life Large Cap Value Fund 0.52% TLLVX 4 4/4/4/5 TIAA
    PSF PGIM Jennison Value Portfolio Cl. II 0.82% 0P00003DP6 3 3/4/5/2 TIAA
    PVC Equity Income Account Cl. 1 0.49% 0P00003CN9 3 3/2/4/5 TIAA
    Mid Cap Blend
    Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Inv. 0.65% 0P00003ESF 4 5/5/3/5 Fidelity
    Vanguard VIF Mid-Cap Index 0.17% 0P00003C89 3 3/2/3/5 TIAA
    Mid Cap Growth
    Franklin Small-Mid Cap Growth VIP Cl. 1 0.83% 0P00003DB4 3 2/3/1/4 TIAA
    PVC MidCap Account Cl. 1 0.55% 0P00003BO4 5 5/3/3/5 TIAA
    Wanger Acorn 0.95% WUSAX 2 1/1/1/3 TIAA
    Mid Cap Value
    Fidelity VIP Value Inv. 0.68% 0P00003ESN 4 5/5/3/4 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Value Strategies Inv. 0.67% 0P00003ESM 4 5/5/2/4 Fidelity
    Janus Henderson VIT Mid-Cap Value Inst. 0.68% JAMVX 3 3/2/4/5 TIAA
    Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Port. 0.98% FMVUX 4 4/4/3/1 TIAA
    N-B AMT Mid Cap Intrinsic Value Cl. I 1.02% 0P00003CPW 1 1/1/2/3 TIAA
    Small Cap Blend
    Fidelity VIP Disciplined Small Cap Inv. 0.40% 0P00003EWG 3 5/5/2/5 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Extended Market Index Init. 0.12% FVIJX 3 3/3/1/5 Fidelity
    Nuveen Life Small Cap Equity Fund 0.53% TLEQX 4 5/5/2/5 TIAA
    Small Cap Growth
    ClearBridge Variable Small Cap Gr Cl. I 0.80% QLMSIX 2 1/1/1/5 TIAA
    Small Cap Value
    DFA VA U.S. Targeted Value Port. Inst. 0.29% 0P00003D0Y 4 5/5/1/5 TIAA
    Macquarie VIP Small Cap Value Ser. Std. 0.78% 0P00003C1W 3 3/2/1/4 TIAA
    Royce Capital Fund - Sm Cap Port. Inv. 1.15% RCPFX 3 3/3/1/1 TIAA
    International Equity
    Diversified Emerging Markets
    Fidelity VIP Emerging Markets Inv. 0.97% 0P0000A9FS 4 5/5/2/4 Fidelity
    John Hancock Emerg Mkts Val Trust NAV 1.03% JHVTX 3 4/4/4/4 TIAA
    Lazard Retir. Emerging Markets Port. Inv. 1.15% 0P00005XR9 3 4/2/3/3 Fidelity
    Morgan Stanley VIF Emerg. Mkts Eq. Cl. I 1.25% MEMEX 3 4/4/2/2 Fidelity
    Templeton Developing Mkts VIP Fund Cl. 1 1.10% 0P00003CRI 3 4/4/2/3 TIAA
    Foreign Large Blend
    Fidelity VIP International Index Init. 0.16% FVIGX 3 3/4/4/5 Fidelity
    Nuveen Life International Equity 0.60% TLINX 3 4/3/3/4 TIAA
    Vanguard VIF Total Intl Stk Mkt Indx 0.11% 0P0001ANO3 3 3/3/4/5 TIAA
    Foreign Large Growth
    Fidelity VIP International Cap Ap Inv. 0.86% 0P00003ESC 5 5/5/3/3 Fidelity
    Fidelity VIP Overseas Inv. 0.81% 0P00003ESH 4 5/5/3/5 Fidelity
    Vanguard VIF International Port. 0.33% 0P00003CRA 3 4/2/1/5 TIAA
    Foreign Large Value
    DFA VA International Value Port. Inst. 0.27% 0P00003CY8 4 5/5/3/5 TIAA
    Foreign Small/Mid Blend
    DFA VA International Small Port. Inst. 0.40% 0P00003CN3 4 x/x/2/x TIAA
    Foreign Small/Mid Growth
    Wanger International 1.14% WSCAX 2 x/x/1/x TIAA
    Foreign Small/Mid Value
    Matson Money Int'l Equity VI Port. 1.14% FMVIX 3 3/3/3/1 TIAA
    Global Large Cap Blend
    Invesco V.I. Global Core Equity Ser. I 0.98% 0P00003CZL 2 2/2/3/2 Fidelity
    MFS VIT Global Equities Series Init. 0.92% 0P00003D4V 2 2/2/3/3 TIAA