Investment Advice

Diversification, low-cost funds, and a long-term strategy.

Low-cost funds, built-in investment advice

We make it easy to save for the future

Making investment decisions can be hard, especially when you’re just getting started. For employees, Human Interest Advisors (“HIA”) provides investment advice via our Model Portfolios.1 Our Model Portfolios are designed to do the heavy lifting so you can start saving in a few simple steps, while helping to keep your fees low with affordable funds.

Think of a Model Portfolio as a pre-built portfolio of funds. Instead of individually selecting from a potentially extensive menu of mutual funds, ETFs, and other investment options within a retirement plan, you can choose a Model Portfolio that aligns with your risk tolerance (e.g., conservative, moderate, aggressive) and time horizon (i.e., years until retirement).

Investment strategies should not be one-size-fits-all

Our Model Portfolio design can be customized to align with your risk tolerance. If you select a Model Portfolio1, we automatically diversify your assets in low-cost mutual funds and collective investment trusts (CITs) and rebalance them quarterly to help make sure your portfolio stays within target allocations.

You can further refine the Model Portfolio’s risk profile by completing our Risk Tolerance Questionnaire. Those who want more flexibility can even choose and manage their own portfolio from available funds.

Flexibility and responsibility: Understanding your retirement plan investment choices

We understand that some individuals may prefer a more hands-on approach to managing their retirement investments. If you are seeking greater flexibility, we offer the option to choose and manage your own investment portfolio from your plan's universe of available funds.

The self-directed option: You're in control

If you opt for this self-directed path, you have the freedom to:

  • Select specific funds: Build a portfolio that aligns with your personal investment strategy and preferences from the available fund options.

  • Customize your allocations: Determine the percentage of your contributions in each chosen fund.

Key responsibility: Maintaining your asset allocation

It's important to understand that managing your own portfolio means you are responsible for establishing and maintaining your portfolio's asset allocation. This includes regularly reviewing your investment choices.

  • Making any necessary adjustments so that your portfolio remains aligned with your financial goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.

  • Rebalancing your portfolio as needed due to market fluctuations or changes in your investment strategy.

Important clarification regarding HIA advice

Please be aware that individuals who choose to manage their own portfolio will not receive asset allocation recommendations or ongoing rebalancing. By choosing the self-directed option, you gain increased control and flexibility, but also take on the responsibility for selecting and managing your investments. As a reminder, the Model Portfolios will continue being available, and at any time, individuals can select from the Model Portfolios and discontinue managing their own portfolio.



Funds from a wide range of asset classes

For employers, HIA offers either discretionary investment management through the selection, construction, and oversight of a diversified plan investment menu (3(38) fund lineup) or non-discretionary investment advice utilizing HIA’s 3(21) service offering.3 From the investment menu, employers can select mutual funds and collective investment trusts from nearly every major asset class to further customize their lineup. We offer access to several low-cost funds from leading investment companies.2

Our 3(38) fund lineup3,4

U.S. Stocks

Fund NameSymbolExpense Ratio
Blackrock Equity IndexWBREOX0.015%
Blackrock Russell 3000 IndexMG72830.02%
Vanguard Value Index AdmiralVVIAX0.05%
Vanguard Growth Index AdmiralVIGAX0.05%
Vanguard Mid Cap Index AdmiralVIMAX0.05%
Vanguard Mid Cap Growth Index AdmiralVMGMX0.07%
Vanguard Mid Cap Value Index AdmiralVMVAX0.07%
Vanguard Small Cap Index AdmiralVSMAX0.05%
Vanguard Small Cap Growth Index AdmiralVSGAX0.07%
Vanguard Small Cap Value Index AdmiralVSIAX0.07%
Vanguard FTSE Social Index AdmiralVFTAX0.14%

International Stocks

Fund NameSymbolExpense Ratio
Blackrock MSCI ACWI ex-U.S. IndexWBRMAX0.055%
DFA International Core Equity IDFIEX0.23%
DFA International Value IDFIVX0.28%
DFA Emerging Markets Small Cap IDEMSX0.59%
DFA Emerging Markets Value IDFEVX0.44%
Fidelity International Index FundFSPSX0.035%
Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index AdmiralVEMAX0.14%

Real Estate

Fund NameSymbolExpense Ratio
DFA Global Real Estate Securities PortfolioDFGEX0.22%
Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund AdmiralVGSLX0.12%

Bonds

Fund NameSymbolExpense Ratio
Blackrock U.S. Debt IndexMG72820.025%
Nuveen Core Impact Bond R6TSBIX0.36%
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index AdmiralVBIRX0.07%
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index AdmiralVBILX0.07%
Vanguard Total International Bond Index AdmiralVTABX0.11%
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index AdmiralVTAPX0.06%

Cash Equivalents

Fund NameSymbolExpense Ratio
FDIC Insured Deposit Account--
Vanguard Federal Money Market InvestorVMFXX0.11%

Our investment philosophy

Expense management

Just as interest compounds, so can fees. Extra fees can add up in the long run. We believe utilizing low-cost mutual funds and CITs is an efficient way to optimize a portfolio.

Avoid performance chasing

401(k)s are a long-term investment, not a short-term bet. We’ll help you stay the course and weather the inevitable ups and downs of the market. For those in a Model Portfolio,1 we'll automatically rebalance your portfolio on a quarterly basis to help provide an appropriate level of diversification and help your portfolio allocation stay consistent with your selected risk level. Please be aware that rebalancing does not ensure a profit or protect against loss.

Diversified portfolios

Our Model Portfolios follow Modern Portfolio Theory, which has the goal of maximizing potential reward for a given level of risk. Our Models are designed to help you invest across several asset classes to spread out your risk. Again, diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against loss.

Take the right amount of risk

A 25-year-old and a 55-year-old typically should not have the same 401(k) strategy. We offer tools and resources to help you figure out how to balance risk and reward to align with your goals.

Notes

1

Investment Advisory services are provided through Human Interest Advisors LLC (HIA) to plans that select HIA as the investment adviser. HIA is a Registered Investment Adviser and subsidiary of Human Interest Inc. For such plans, an investment advisory fee is paid to Human Interest Advisors (HIA) of 0.01% of plan assets and a separate fee for recordkeeping services and custody-related expenses is paid to Human Interest Inc. (HII) of 0.05% of plan assets. Both fees are deducted on a monthly basis from the employee's account according to the HII and HIA Terms of Service. All prices are exclusive of applicable taxes. If the plan sponsor elects to hire an external investment advisor, the plan sponsor will pay such advisor as agreed between the plan sponsor and advisor. For more information, please see our pricing page.

2

This should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any investment and does not represent all fund managers whose funds are available for employers to choose from. Consult a financial professional regarding your personal situation before making any investment decisions.

3

When a Plan chooses the 3(38) Fiduciary Investment Manager Service, Human Interest Advisors will have the discretionary authority to select, monitor, and revise the menu of investment options. As of 07/07/25, this is the investment menu offered. Investment menu is routinely monitored and is subject to change. The funds listed should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Plan Sponsor must select either 3(21) Fiduciary Investment Advisor Service or 3(38) Fiduciary Investment Manager Service. If 3(21) Fiduciary Investment Advisor Service is selected, Human Interest Advisors helps Plan Sponsor to determine recommended additions to and/or replacements of the Plan’s main menu of investment alternatives, but the Plan retains ultimate authority to monitor and select investment options for the menu. Regardless of the service selected, all Plans are required to make available to Participants the investment options utilized by the Human Interest Model Portfolios. The funds used in the Human Interest Model Portfolios represent a portion of the 3(38) fund lineup. Please review our Terms of Service for more information.

4

Expense ratios shown are as of 07/07/25 and are net of fees. See fund prospectus for additional information.

Disclosures

This content has been prepared for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as tax, legal, or individualized investment advice. Human Interest Advisors LLC does not provide tax or legal advice. Consult an appropriate professional regarding your situation. The views expressed are subject to change. In the event third-party data and/or statistics are used, they have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, we cannot guarantee their accuracy or completeness. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss. Past performance does not guarantee future results.