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Manulife target-date funds

Manulife’s suites of target-date funds align with a fundamental belief that diversification across asset classes, investment styles, and strategies provides the greatest opportunity for achieving long-term financial success. We proudly offer two suites: the Manulife Retirement Date Index+ Funds and the Manulife Retirement Date Funds. These suites are designed to meet your retirement planning needs with a diversified approach to investment.

Maximize retirement opportunities with target-date funds

The glide path design of a target-date fund can offer a strategic advantage in retirement planning. Learn how it can help mitigate retirement risks and generate long-term wealth for members.

Download the analysis
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What sets us apart

Our long-standing track record of managing target-date funds for sponsors and members since 2005, coupled with an approach that uses both active and passive managers, offers multiple price points, exposure to private assets, and is ESG inclusive.

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Glide path extending through retirement

A glide path that extends through retirement offers greater potential for wealth accumulation and helps to protect against running out of capital in retirement. 

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Active management of asset allocation

Asset allocation is actively managed across all asset classes to mitigate risk and make the most of market opportunities.

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Multiple price points through two flagship investment suites

One suite offers an actively managed-only approach and the other combines actively managed and index funds to significantly lower overall fund costs.

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Using both active and passive managers 

Balanced use of active and passive underlying managers with predominantly active managers in our Retirement Date Funds suite and a blend of active and passive in our Retirement Date Index+ Funds suite.

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Exposure to private assets

Canadian real estate, mortgages and real assets offer diversification benefits and the potential for an enhanced risk/return profile.

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Inclusive approach to ESG

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration is achieved through active management and constructive engagement. 

Icon of a person representing Managing longevity risk through retirement

Managing longevity risk through retirement

 

Our approach uses a glide path that extends through retirement to help members tackle one of retirement's greatest challenges—longevity risk, or outliving retirement income. This is how we help members achieve long-term financial security.

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Derisking

Gradually reduces exposure to equity and growth asset classes to reach 50% exposure at retirement

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Protecting capital

Continues to derisk through retirement while maintaining moderate allocation to growth asset classes to help savings last

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Reducing exposure

Exposure to growth asset classes is reduced until it reaches 25% at 20 years into retirement

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Explore our fund suites

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Manulife Retirement Date Index+ Funds

Manulife Retirement Date Funds

Inception

2014

2005

Asset classes

14

14

Underlying funds

15

25

Underlying fund focus

Index-oriented approach for equities

Active underlying funds for fixed income and private assets

Predominantly active underlying funds

Equity weight

95% at inception | 50% at retirement | 25% at end point in retirement

95% at inception | 50% at retirement | 25% at end point in retirement

Active tilts intrayear

Yes

Yes

Through retirement glide path

Yes

Yes

Fund fact sheets

Our investment team

Professional headshot of James Robertson, CIM

James Robertson, CIM

Senior Portfolio Manager, Head of Asset Allocation–Canada, and Global Head of Tactical Asset Allocation, Multi-Asset Solutions, Manulife Investment Management

Jamie is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the firm’s Canadian asset allocation franchise, including portfolio management, research and development, product development, business development, and trading. He leads Canadian portfolio management efforts across a wide range of multi-asset and multimanager solutions. In addition, as global head of tactical asset allocation, Jamie takes a leading role in driving the tactical positioning and the portfolio construction process of tactically oriented solutions globally. 

Previously, Jamie was the chief investment officer for McLean and Partners in Calgary. Prior to that, he was vice president, proprietary investments (equities), at Manulife Financial, following four years as an internal hedge fund manager there. Earlier in his career, he held executive positions at CTSecurities, J.P. Morgan Canada, and BLC Securities. Jamie holds the Canadian Investment Manager designation.

  • Education: M.B.A., Concordia University; B.B.A., University of New Brunswick
  • Joined the company: 2000
  • Began career: 1982
Professional headshot of Alexandre M. Richard, CFA

Alexandre M. Richard, CFA

Portfolio Manager, Multi-Asset Solutions, Manulife Investment Management

Alex's responsibilities include the day-to-day monitoring and portfolio management of the multi-asset solutions team’s Canadian-based asset allocation portfolios. He also provides fundamental and macroeconomic research and support for asset allocation initiatives globally. His work spans a wide range of topics, including long-term expected return forecasting for several developed countries as well as the design of tactical asset allocation models. Previously, Alex worked as an intern for the global markets strategies team and for the North American equities team. Alex holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: B.B.A., Finance, Wilfrid Laurier University
  • Joined the company: 2011
  • Began career: 2010
Professional headshot of Jenny Kim, CFA

Jenny Kim, CFA

Portfolio Manager, Senior Investment Analyst, Systematic Equity, Multi-Asset Solutions, Manulife Investment Management

Jenny’s primary duties on the multi-asset solutions team entail executing daily trading and rebalancing the Canada-based asset allocation portfolios. She's also responsible for closely monitoring the day-to-day activities related to portfolio management. Additionally, she contributes to the optimization and construction of these portfolios. As a portfolio manager on the systematic equity team, she manages passive equity portfolios and conducts analyses on indexes and corporate actions, with an emphasis on closely tracking the index performance. As one of the primary traders for both teams, she specializes in derivatives and equity trading and formulates optimal implementation strategies for all trades. Jenny holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: B.Math Honours, Actuarial Science with Finance Option, University of Waterloo
  • Joined the company: 2010
  • Began career: 2010
Professional headshot of Misbah Lalani, CFA

Misbah Lalani, CFA

Senior Investment Analyst, Multi-Asset Solutions, Manulife Investment Management

Misbah is a senior investment analyst whose responsibilities include the monitoring and portfolio management of the multi-asset solutions team’s Canada-based asset allocation portfolios with a focus on portfolio construction, assisting in the trading and rebalancing of the portfolios, and conducting investment research at the asset class, region, and sector levels. Previously, Misbah worked as a senior portfolio analyst for multi-asset solutions at Scotiabank, where she focused on the fund-of-funds management of growth-oriented portfolios, North American equities, and liquid alternatives and relative currency overlay. Prior to that, she was in the wealth practice at Mercer, consulting on defined benefit pension plans, endowments, and foundations. Misbah holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: Hons B.Sc. with Distinction, University of Toronto
  • Joined the company: 2022
  • Began career: 2015
Professional headshot of Alex Grassino

Alex Grassino

Global Chief Economist and Strategist, Multi-Asset Solutions, Manulife Investment Management

Alex co-leads the macro strategy team, which forecasts macroeconomic and financial trends and analyzes the economy and capital markets for potential opportunities and risks. He’s also a key contributor to thought leadership both within the firm and externally. In addition to his work on the multi-asset solutions team’s returns forecast process, Alex provides portfolio and positioning views, directs thematic research, contributes to and coordinates internal and external publications, and is an active participant in various internal investment and risk committees. Prior to joining Manulife, Alex worked as a macro research analyst with Standard Life Investments and, before that, he held various roles at Laurentian Bank Securities that include equity research analyst and a financial markets economist.

  • Education: M.Sc., Financial Services Management, University of Surrey; B.A., Economics and History, McGill University
  • Joined the company: 2015
  • Began career: 2001
Professional headshot of Benjamin W. Forssell, CFA

Benjamin W. Forssell, CFA

Managing Director, Global Multi-Asset Client Portfolio Manager, Multi-Asset Solutions, Manulife Investment Management

Ben supports investment capabilities within the firm’s multi-asset solutions team, including the globally based asset allocation team and the quantitative management team, which focus on liability-driven investing and other various liquid alternative investments. Prior to joining Manulife’s asset management organization, he was assistant vice president and head of platform development for Manulife’s Asia wealth management team based in Hong Kong. Previously, he worked for Manulife/John Hancock in the United States in various roles, including selecting funds for Manulife’s U.S.-based wealth management businesses and selling separately managed accounts to independent financial advisors. Ben started his career at Lord, Abbett & Company selling mutual funds, retirement plans, and separately managed accounts to financial advisors across the United States. Ben holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

  • Education: B.A., Philosophy and Religion, Colgate University
  • Joined the company: 2013
  • Began career: 2000

Resources for you

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Enhance retirement readiness with through glide paths

The glide path design of an investment can offer a strategic advantage in retirement planning. Learn how they can help mitigate risk and generate more long-term wealth for members.

Download our analysis

Weathering market volatility with target-date funds

Target-date funds can help plan members navigate market downturns leading up to retirement—read our analysis to find out more.

Download our analysis

Stay connected with investment team insight

Discover recent insights from our Multi-Asset Solutions Team at Manulife Investment Management, creators of thoughtful portfolios built to address retirement needs.

See their insight

Building retirement plans that
outlive people

Explore Manulife’s thought leadership analysis on how longer lifespans can affect retirement planning and increase retirement risks. We’ll share key strategies and insight that may help you improve retirement readiness and minimize the risk of outliving retirement savings.

Read our key findings

Contact us today

Choose Manulife as your partner for retirement. Contact your Manulife representative for more information on how our Retirement Date Fund suites can help give members valuable long-term choices.

Contact us
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