SmartTALK

STRS Ohio investment staff presented its Fiscal 2024 Investment Plan to the board in June. The plan details the investment strategy for each asset class in the system’s portfolio. The board’s investment consultants, Callan LLC and Cliffwater LLC, expressed their support for the plan which calls for modestly positive returns for fiscal 2024 (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024). The plan is available here.

STRS Ohio’s plan and forecast is designed for a large institutional investor and may not be appropriate to an individual investor’s portfolio allocation, time horizon or risk tolerance. Like all economic forecasts, it should not be relied upon as an indicator for future results. For more personalized assistance, you can reach a Nationwide Retirement Solutions (NRS) retirement specialist toll-free at 866‑332‑3342.

No matter what point you are at in your teaching career, STRS Ohio and Nationwide Retirement Solutions (NRS) provide resources to help you plan for a sound retirement. The NRS/STRS Ohio website offers useful tools and tips, including:

• Secure access to your online account
• Financial tools and calculators
• An online retirement planning tool called My Interactive Retirement PlannerSM that helps you assess your retirement readiness

We know you are a busy educator and your retirement may be years away. NRS is committed to providing the assistance STRS Ohio members need. If you have questions about your retirement planning or need more personalized assistance, you can reach an NRS Retirement Specialist toll-free at 866‑332‑3342.

Retirement Security

A supplemental retirement account is one way to help you build retirement security. While you are not eligible to increase the level of contributions to your STRS Ohio defined contribution account, you are eligible to contribute to Ohio Deferred Compensation — a supplemental 457(b) retirement plan. Unlike individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or 403(b) plans, funds in an Ohio Deferred Compensation account are not subject to an early withdrawal penalty if employment ends and a member withdraws funds before age 59-1/2. A financial advisor can help you compare the benefits and fees for each of these options. You can learn more about this program at www.ohio457.org.

This quarter’s SmartTALK profiles the STRS Russell 1000 Index Choice.

The STRS Russell 1000 Index Choice is an allocation choice that is intended to closely match the return of the Russell 1000^® Index before fees. The Russell 1000^® Index is comprised of approximately 1,000 U.S.-based companies selected for their large market capitalization, liquidity and industry classifications.

Companies in the Information Technology, Consumer Discretionary, Health Care, Industrials and Financials sectors make up about 80% of the Index. Top holdings include Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp., Amazon.com Inc., Nvidia Corp and Alphabet Inc. Class A. Intermediate- and long-term performance figures for this and all allocation choices are provided on the Investment Performance Report.

How do I check my account balance?

With a secure online account, you can check your daily account balance 24/7 by logging in to the NRS/STRS Ohio website. In addition to sending you quarterly statements, STRS Ohio provides the net asset value (NAV) for each investment choice on our website. You will also see the month-to-date, quarter-to-date and fiscal year-to-date return for each investment choice.