J.P. Morgan :: Core Menu Innovation :: Better Choices leading to better outcomes

Learn about the Funds

J.P. Morgan Asset Management introduces Core Menu Innovation^SM—a new approach to the defined contribution investment menu that aims to simplify participant decisions and help strengthen potential investment outcomes.

Smarter Portfolios

Core Menu Innovation^SM replaces complex and often redundant core investment lineups with three easy-to-understand investment portfolios: diversified stocks, diversified bonds and diversified cash alternatives.

Each provides a single entry point into a broadly diversified portfolio of underlying traditional and extended strategies within the specific asset class category.

The underlying allocations are professionally managed to optimize asset-class-specific portfolio efficiency and systematically rebalanced to maintain proper risk/reward characteristics.

Download the Core Menu Innovation Brochure (PDF)
Better Diversification
Core Menu Innovation^SM leverages the benefits of diversification to deliver more effective investment results. These strategies incorporate diversification across traditional and extended asset classes. Providing this type of consolidated lineup can help lead to better participant investment decisions.
- Simplified choices participants can understand
- Well-diversified, "all-in-one" asset class portfolios
- Systematic rebalancing to maintain proper risk/reward characteristics within each diversified portfolio.
Download the Core Menu Innovation Brochure (PDF)
Participant Benefits
Core Menu Innovation^SM seeks to combine the diversification benefits of professionally managed asset allocation solutions with the proven research behind participant behavior and choice architecture. The result is:
- Simpler, smarter investment choices
- Better diversification with access to institutional-quality strategies
- Higher probability of better investment outcomes
- Potentially greater engagement
Download the Core Menu Innovation Brochure (PDF)
Offerings
J.P. Morgan is dedicated to helping plan sponsors and their advisors strengthen DC plan investment effectiveness. Working together, we can help increase the odds that participants achieve their retirement funding needs. Our Core Menu Innovation^SM strategies provide clients the flexibility to define the engagement model that best suits their needs:
- Strategic asset allocation
- Ongoing tactical asset allocation
- Investments (structure and strategies)
- Implementation strategy (re-enrollment)
- Participant communications strategy and implementation
Download the Core Menu Innovation Brochure (PDF)

Focus your aim: Innovating the defined contribution core menu to help increase the odds of participant success

The defined contribution (DC) industry has introduced numerous advancements to help participants achieve stronger retirement funding levels. One critical area of DC plan design, however, continues to fall short in meeting the needs of the vast majority of participants: the core investment menu.

In this paper, we address:

How current core investment line-ups are failing to connect to participant needs
Why Core Menu Innovation℠ offers better investment choice for participants who prefer a more active role in determining their asset allocation and risk profiles
How successful implementation can deliver a more complete plan line-up

Rethinking the defined contribution core investment line-up

The typical core investment menu in defined contribution plans continue to fall short in meeting the needs of most plan participants. Core Menu Innovation is J. P. Morgan Asset management’s approach to help participants make better investment decisions.

Read the article in the Spring 2012 interactive edition of Journey magazine.

Plan Participants Overwhelmed by Choice

How investment choice in 401(k) plans can be made more effective for participants by simplifying the core menu while embedding diversification for a better investment outcome.

Fiduciary Implications: Using re-enrollment to improve target date fund adoption

Fred Reish, a partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, discusses strategies available to help plan sponsors improve target date usage in their plan along with the fiduciary implications of their decisions.

In the News

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Thought Leadership team

Michael Falcon, Managing Director,
Head of Retirement
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Donn Hess, Managing Director,
Head of Product Development
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Anne Lester, Managing Director,
Portfolio Manager, Global Multi-Asset Group
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

John Galateria, Managing Director,
Head of Defined Contribution Investment
Solutions Group
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Resources

Find out more about how Core Menu Innovation addresses the defined contribution core investment line-up. Click on the link above to watch this excerpt from our webcast.

Watch the Core Menu Innovation Webcast Now

The Core Menu Innovation video webcast focused on our new strategy to fundamentally reshape the defined contribution core investment menu. Click on the link above to watch the full webcast.

Contact

Phone
Chris Daley, 212-648-0151

Email
Core.Menu.Innovation@jpmorgan.com

For Institutional Use Only

Opinions and statements of financial market trends that are based on current market conditions constitute our judgment and are subject to change without notice. We believe the information provided here is reliable but should not be assumed to be accurate or complete. The views and strategies described may not be suitable for all investors.

Diversification does not guarantee investment returns and does not eliminate the risk of loss.

The manager seeks to achieve the above referenced objectives. There is no guarantee that these objectives will be met.

Target date funds are funds with the target date being the approximate date when investors plan to start withdrawing their money. Generally, the asset allocation of each fund will change on an annual basis with the asset allocation becoming more conservative as the fund nears the target retirement date. The principal value of the fund(s) is not guaranteed at any time, including at the target date.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management is the marketing name for the asset management businesses of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Those businesses include, but are not limited to, J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc., Security Capital Research & Management Incorporated and J.P. Morgan Alternative Asset Management, Inc.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates do not provide tax advice. Accordingly, any discussion of U.S. tax matters contained herein (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, in connection with the promotion, marketing or recommendation by anyone unaffiliated with JPMorgan Chase & Co. of any of the matters addressed herein or for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax-related penalties.