John Hancock TDF Series Available in Investment-Only Space

October 8, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – John Hancock made available its recently renamed Retirement Choices At series of target-date funds (TDFs) in the investment-only marketplace to plan sponsors.

Share classes R1, R2 and R6 are now available, following the launch of R4 shares last spring.

Effective May 2012, John Hancock renamed its two target-date funds series to clarify the distinction between funds that are managed “to” and “through” retirement.

Formerly named Retirement 2010 – 2050 Portfolios, are now called Retirement Choices At (e.g., Retirement Choices at 2015), emphasizing that the portfolios are managed “to” a specific year. The former Lifecycle Portfolios, also spanning 2010 to 2050, are now called Retirement Living Through portfolios, to reinforce that the portfolios are managed “through” retirement.

“These actively managed portfolios offer asset allocation at an attractive expense level,” said Steven Medina, portfolio manager with John Hancock Asset Management, sub-adviser to the funds. “The suites have been managed very much in line with their expectations, with the near-dated portfolios designed to protect capital in difficult market environments, while the farther-dated portfolios have participated nicely in the more favorable market environments. Moreover, they have attracted $2.5 billion in assets in the past two years, so clearly they are resonating with plan sponsors.”

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