Investment Instruments

New Mexico's pension fund for educators has posted modest investment gains in the past year, reflecting continued volatility in the financial markets.

Investors are increasingly cost conscious and providers of target-date mutual funds are responding. They're rolling out a greater number of low-cost options. These inexpensive funds come in two main varieties: those that rely on index funds and others with ETFs added in.

Illinois is seeing a surge in state employees taking early retirement, hoping to cash in on pension benefits - concerned about long-awaited pension reform.

The California pension system holds more than $2 billion in venture capital assets, but an investment committee may steer the fund in another direction.

Cerulli research projects that custom TDF strategies will account for 22 percent of 401(k) TDF holdings by 2016, up 370 percent from 2011.

As millions of baby boomers flood Social Security with applications for benefits, the program's $2.7 trillion surplus is starting to look small.