Three ways to buy Thrivent funds

We’re here to help you invest with confidence.

MUTUAL FUNDS

Thrivent Account

You can purchase mutual funds right on our site with an online account.

Buy with a Thrivent account

  • Set up an account starting with as little as $50 per month.1
  • Access your online account at your convenience.
  • Purchase funds without transaction fees or sales charges.

MUTUAL FUNDS & ETFS

Financial Professional

For guidance when investing, ask a financial professional about buying Thrivent mutual funds & ETFs.

Buy with a financial professional

  • Receive investment help from an experienced professional.
  • Build a relationship through in-person meetings.
  • Get help planning for life’s goals such as saving and retirement.
  • Additional fees may apply.

MUTUAL FUNDS & ETFS

Brokerage Account

If you already have a brokerage account, our mutual funds & ETFs can be purchased through online brokerage platforms by searching for Thrivent Mutual Funds and ETFs.

Buy with a brokerage account

  • Add Thrivent Mutual Funds and ETFs to your investments within your existing portfolio.
  • Take advantage of your account to keep your investments in one place.
  • Additional fees may apply.
Not quite ready?

We want you to invest your money wisely and with confidence.
Here are some other options that may help you.

  • Take our quiz to determine your personal investment style.
  • Talk to your financial advisor about ETFs.
  • Sign up for our monthly investing insights newsletter.

 

Need more help?

If you need assistance, we’re here to help. Reach out to us via the phone, email, and support page information below.

 

This ETF is different from traditional ETFs. Traditional ETFs tell the public what assets they hold each day. This ETF will not. This may create additional risks for your investment. For example:

 - You may have to pay more money to trade the ETF’s shares. This ETF will provide less information to traders, who tend to charge more for trades when they have less information.

 - The price you pay to buy ETF shares on an exchange may not match the value of the ETF’s portfolio. The same is true when you sell shares. These price differences may be greater for this ETF compared to other ETFs because it provides less information to traders.

 - These additional risks may be even greater in bad or uncertain market conditions.

 - The ETF will publish on its website each day a “Proxy Portfolio” designed to help trading in shares of the ETF. While the Proxy Portfolio includes some of the ETF’s holdings, it is not the ETF’s actual portfolio.

The differences between this ETF and other ETFs may also have advantages. By keeping certain information about the ETF secret, this ETF may face less risk that other traders can predict or copy its investment strategy. This may improve the ETF’s performance. If other traders are able to copy or predict the ETF’s investment strategy, however, this may hurt the ETF’s performance. For additional information regarding the unique attributes and risks of the ETF, see the Principal Risks section of the prospectus.

1 New accounts with a minimum investment amount of $50 are offered through the Thrivent Mutual Funds "automatic purchase plan." Otherwise, the minimum initial investment requirement is $2,000 for non-retirement accounts and $1,000 for IRA or tax-deferred accounts, minimum subsequent investment requirement is $50 for all account types. Account minimums for other options vary.

Thrivent ETFs may be purchased through your financial professional or brokerage platforms.

Contact your financial professional or brokerage firm to understand minimum investment amounts when purchasing a Thrivent ETF.

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Investing for retirement

10/26/2021
Target date funds & target risk funds: learn the difference
10/26/2021
retail-investing-for-retirement-article-art.jpg

Like many investors, you may rely on mutual funds and investment professionals to put your money to work for you. And, investing in a mix of stocks and bonds within a single mutual fund can help keep your investments diversified.

The two most popular types of these all-in-one mutual funds are target date funds and target risk funds. Though their investment philosophies differ, both are designed to help you realize your investment goals in a more convenient way.

Target date funds

Target date funds offer a straightforward way to diversify your investments. You simply select a mutual fund based on the year you plan to retire, and the fund automatically adjusts over time to stay in line with your investment goals.

You don’t need to rebalance or select any underlying funds—the single target date fund does that for you. The mix of assets within your account gradually shifts from an aggressive to a more conservative risk profile as the target date approaches.

This single investment approach is appealing, but there are a few things to keep in mind, when saving for retirement.

  • Variations in risk levels. Not all target date funds are created equal, even if they share the same target date. A 2035 fund from one mutual fund company may have a much greater percentage of assets invested in stocks—making it more aggressively positioned than a mutual fund with the same date from a different mutual fund company.

In other words, you need to consider the level of risk the fund takes to help meet its objectives. Each fund has a unique formula to determine the right mix of stocks and bonds for (1) each target date, (2) the number of years until the target date, and (3) the relative level of risk being assumed.

The fund’s investment mix typically becomes less risky as the target date nears, but you need to be sure you’re comfortable with volatility throughout its life. Selecting the right target date fund is made more difficult if your risk tolerance changes as retirement nears.

In other words, you need to fully understand the strategy behind the fund’s approach before making an investment into it.

  • Difference in glide paths. While the asset mix of your target date fund is important, how the fund gradually shifts from stocks to bonds—also known as its “glide path”—is equally important. Knowing which kind of glide path your target date fund is using is essential as you plan for your retirement.
  • A “to” glide path means that the fund becomes more conservative as the target date approaches (moving to a greater bond-to-stock ratio) and then remains static once it gets to the retirement date.
  • A “through” glide path is often used by mutual funds designed for those who will likely stay invested long after the target date is reached. The glide path continues through the retirement date. The “through” path generally keeps the asset mix more aggressive (more stocks compared to bonds) than the funds that use a “to” path.

Target date funds are a good solution for some investors but aren’t always as “hands-off” as they may appear. And they may be too aggressive or conservative for your individual risk tolerance.

Target risk funds

Target risk funds build a mix of stocks and bonds that align to a particular risk level:

  • An aggressive target risk fund may put 75% to 100% of its assets into stocks (with the remaining assets in bonds).
  • A conservative target risk fund might have the opposite asset mix (nearly all bonds with limited stock holdings).

Generally, younger investors will put their money into more aggressive target risk funds and focus on growing their assets. Older investors tend to use more conservative allocations to protect their assets as retirement grows closer.

Here’s a closer look at what these funds offer.

  • A straight-forward way to manage risk. Much like target date funds, target risk funds offer a single, balanced solution for you to diversify the investments and tailor them specifically to your desired risk level.
  • Unlike a target date fund, if you invest in a target risk fund, you only have to select the right risk level and don’t need to worry about the additional complexities of glide paths or the significant variations between funds with the same target dates. With target risk funds, however, the investor is responsible for identifying when risk tolerances change and moving investments to a fund with the appropriate risk level.
  • An aggressive target risk fund gives you an aggressive mix. A conservative target risk fund offers a more conservative investment.
  • More investment flexibility. Target risk funds—unlike target date funds—are built on the assumption that your portfolio will probably have more than one investment account. This means target risk funds can offer you more flexibility based on your situation.

For example, if you’re an older investor with the majority of your assets sitting in bond funds in a 401(k), a small allocation to an aggressive target risk fund in an IRA might be the right choice for you. A target date fund doesn’t offer the same flexibility—the closer the target date, the more conservative the investment mix. 

No matter what your planned retirement age is, you can get the right investment mix with a target risk fund based on your risk profile. You can also update it as your investing needs evolve. Keep in mind, you will be responsible for adjusting your investments as your risk tolerance changes.

A side-by-side fund comparison

Target date funds Target risk funds
Aligns with a stated retirement or target goal date. Aligns with an investment risk level: conservative, moderate, aggressive.
May be significant variations in risk levels between funds with same target date. Risk level specific to the fund and does not change.
Requires understand the “glide path” for shifting investments as the target date nears. The investor would rebalance as risk tolerance or needs change.
Investment manager adjusts investments over time with the fund to align with need for less risk as the target date approaches. The investor would move assets between funds with different risks levels as your risk tolerance changes.

Thrivent Mutual Funds offers target risk funds

At Thrivent Mutual Funds, we offer a wide range of target risk funds in our Asset Allocation and Income Plus Funds. Our team of seasoned investment professionals brings deep knowledge and thorough proprietary research to actively manage each fund.

When you choose to invest with Thrivent Mutual Funds, you’ll benefit from the expertise of our investment professionals and the convenience and choices we provide to make investing easier. 


The concepts presented are intended for educational purposes only. This information should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy, or product.

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