These funds are generally focused on seeking to achieve growth and/or income within a specific volatility range. The managers use multiple asset classes to help balance the risk and return of the fund consistent with the level of risk tolerable by the investor. For example, an investor who has a low tolerance for investment risk may choose a “conservative” fund, whereas an investor who can tolerate more risk might choose “moderate”, “aggressive” or “growth” target risk funds.
These funds are typically associated with education planning or retirement planning. An investor chooses a date sometime in the future when the funds will be needed for a specific purpose. The funds follow a “glide path” of exposure to growth-based assets, reducing the exposure to equity risk as the date nears.