Get answers to frequently asked questions.

Frequently asked questions for savers

What is a Target Retirement Fund?

A Target Retirement Fund is designed to help manage investment risk and is based on two factors: an investor’s current age and estimated retirement date. This type of fund is comprised of a mix of investments—stocks, bonds, and cash equivalents—that evolve over time to focus on growth for younger investors and to help preserve savings closer to retirement age.

Are my investments guaranteed to earn interest?

As with all investments, there is no guarantee of earnings. OregonSaves wants you to be able to make informed decisions regarding your retirement and offers a range of investment types, from conservative to aggressive, to help you meet your goals. Our investment options were designed to help you balance risk, based on factors such as your age, distance from retirement, and general risk tolerance. OregonSaves offers a Money Market Fund that generally has a lower risk and potentially lower rates of return, a series of Target Retirement Funds that seek growth for younger investors and become more conservative over time, and an S&P 500® Index Fund that seeks to match the potential growth of large companies included in the S&P 500® Index. Whatever you choose, the goal of investing is to put your money to work and have it grow over time.

Is investing in OregonSaves the same as putting money in a bank?

No, there are big differences. Banks offer checking and savings accounts that pay interest and may offer other savings and investment products. OregonSaves helps you save through payroll contributions to your own personal Roth IRA account. Your contributions are invested in various targeted, market-based investments.

Is there a risk of losing my money?

All investing involves some risk, including the risk of losing the money you invest. OregonSaves offers a range of investments with various levels of risk to help you meet your goals depending on your age, distance from retirement, and risk tolerance. We also offer a Money Market option that is intended to be a cash-like fund seeking to help investors preserve the value of their savings by investing in money market securities. There are other risks to consider, apart from your investment fund selections. If you do not have sufficient retirement income you may outlive your savings, and inflation can reduce the value of the savings you accumulate.

What about market volatility?

While there is always a risk of loss, investing for retirement should be approached with a long-term goal to grow your savings over time. Investments will fluctuate—there’s no way to time your investment activity to only benefit from positive gains. OregonSaves offers investment options with various risk levels. Choose the one(s) that best fit your risk tolerance.

What if I don’t select investments for my account?

If you are enrolled in OregonSaves with the standard savings choices and do not make any investment selections, your funds will be invested temporarily in the Capital Preservation Fund for 30 days after your initial contribution. After 30 days, if you have not changed your investment strategy, your funds will be exchanged automatically to a default Target Retirement Date Fund based on your date of birth.

How can I learn more about investment options?

You can find general information about available funds here or talk to a financial advisor about your investment options.

Who is responsible for choosing the available investment options?

The Oregon Retirement Savings Board is responsible for making decisions about the investment options available to participants of the program.

Does the program have an investment consultant?

Yes. The program has a private investment consultant that provides input and feedback about investments to the Board.