Why TIAA

Why we’re different

You have to be different to make a difference

collage of people we serve
Who we serve

We help real people with ambitious goals

For over a hundred years we’ve helped millions of people like you build more secure financial futures. That’s because we understand and specialize in the financial needs of people who work in academic, government, medical and other non-profit fields.
Performance
68%

Our funds are highly rated

68% of TIAA-CREF Funds and Variable Annuity Accounts received a Morningstar overall rating of 4-or 5-stars (39.51% 4 stars and 28.40% 5 stars), based on risk-adjusted returns as of June 30, 2019 1

Our retirees have relied on us for over a century

100%
Our retired participants have received 100% of their income payouts—$459 billion since 1918. 2
Facts & Stats
 
Low costs

You’re valuable to us, so we offer value for your goals

No matter what you’re up to—we can help support it. That’s why our fees are low and so many of our services are offered at no additional cost.
Investments 
76% 
 of TIAA-CREF Funds and Variable Annuity Accounts have expense ratios that are in the bottom quartile of their respective Morningstar category. 3
Advice
Included
 Personalized financial advice for retirement included with your plan
Insights
No additional cost
 1:1 consultations, online resources, and supportive communities
Brokerage
Free
 No monthly maintenance fees or account minimums
Help with your goals
Retirement planning

Making sure your money lasts is our priority

It’s all about you and your unique vision for retirement. We’ll follow your lead, create a personalized plan, and help you make changes over time.

Knowing where you stand today

We can help you understand whether you’re on track for the retirement you envision.

Creating a personalized plan

We take the time to understand your values and goals, then help you create a plan to move towards retirement.
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Helping meet your goals

We provide ways to help take your retirement savings to the next level.
Our approach
Awards & recognition

We’re not in it for the trophies, but it’s nice to be recognized for how we’re different

We focus on driving performance and helping our customers pursue their own goals while staying true to our mission and values. The recognition we receive isn’t only about how we perform; it’s also about who we are and what we believe.
View all awards
This material is for informational or educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice under ERISA. This material does not take into account any specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor, or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on the investor’s own objectives and circumstances.
Certain products and services are only available to eligible individuals.
1 Morningstar ratings are based on each mutual fund (institutional share class) or variable annuity account’s (lowest cost) share class and include U.S. open-end mutual funds, CREF Variable Accounts and the Life Funds. The Morningstar Rating™ –or “star rating” –is calculated for managed products (including mutual funds, variable annuity and variable life subaccounts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds and separate accounts) with at least a three-year history. Exchange-traded funds and open-ended mutual funds are considered a single population for comparative purposes. The rating is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product's monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. Morningstar ratings may be higher or lower on a monthly basis. The top 10% of funds or accounts in each product category receive five stars, the next 22.5% receive four stars and the next 35% receive three stars. The overallstar ratings are Morningstar’s published ratings, which are derived from weighted averages of the performance figures associated with the three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar rating metrics for the period ended June 30, 2019. Morningstar is an independent service that rates mutual funds. Past performance cannot guarantee future results. For current performance and ratings, please visit TIAA.org/public/investment-performance.
2 As of 12/31/18. Other benefits from TIAA include: surrender benefits and other withdrawals, death benefits, health insurance and disability insurance benefits, and all other policy proceeds paid.​
3 Morningstar Direct, June 30, 2019. Excludes the W class shares, which are not available for purchase by retail investors.
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