TIAA-CREF will emphasize its unique advantages in helping clients save for a secure retirement in television commercials to air on the telecast of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship from March 20-31 on CBS.
NCAA Basketball provides the perfect environment to communicate our message of serving the institutions of higher education, and helping the individuals in the academic community plan for and live in retirement," said Jamie DePeau, Senior Vice President of Marketing at TIAA-CREF. "The tournament features great teams, and TIAA-CREF offers great advantages to help those in the academic, research, medical and cultural fields achieve financial security in all of life’s stages."
The commercials, which will air over ten days of the tournament, will emphasize TIAA-CREF’s commitment to:
Personalized Objective Advice
Forbes magazine called TIAA-CREF's holistic investment advice "the most extensive personalized workplace advice," which TIAA-CREF delivers via consultants who receive no sales commissions as part of their total compensation.1 Further, more than 80 percent of clients who have taken advantage of TIAA-CREF's Wealth Management service rate it "better or much better" than comparable services offered by competitors.2
A Commitment to Consistent Growth
TIAA-CREF's approach to investing emphasizes consistent, long-term growth. Eighty percent of TIAA-CREF's mutual funds and variable annuity accounts have exceeded their Morningstar median over the past five years (Morningstar Direct, 12/31/07).3 Since inception in 1952, the CREF Stock Account, the world's first variable annuity account, has generated an average annual return of 10.34% (as of 2/29/08).
CREF Stock Account's Standardized Performance Chart as of 12/31/07
Low Fees
The fees TIAA-CREF charges rank in the lower half of financial industry expenses for mutual funds and annuities.4 Low fees allow more of your money to remain invested and working for you. Even minor differences in fees can mean a significant difference in your retirement holdings years down the road. To see the long term effects of differences in fees, check out this expense/growth calculator.
Guaranteed Income for Life
While upsets make March Madness exciting, they don't belong in your retirement portfolio. TIAA-CREF has over 20 retirement income options,5 the broad array of which help our participants customize their retirement plan according to their unique financial needs. TIAA-CREF currently has 500,000 participants receiving $10 billion in combined annual payments.6
TIAA-CREF is one of only three U.S. insurance companies to receive the highest financial strength rating from all major insurance rating agencies, meaning that TIAA-CREF has the claims-paying ability needed to guarantee your retirement income payments.7
To learn more about how TIAA-CREF can help meet your financial needs, please call a TIAA-CREF adviser at 1-800-842-2776, or visit the company online at www.tiaa-cref.org. Guaranteed income applies only to retirement plan investments and IRAs.
Investment products are not FDIC insured, may lose value and are not bank guaranteed. You should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. Please call 877-518-9161 or log on to www.tiaa-cref.org for a prospectus that contains this and other information. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.
TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC and Teachers Personal Investors Services, Inc., distribute securities products. Advisory services provided by Advice and Planning Services, a division of TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Guarantees based on when you annuitize, the market performance of your annuity, and TIAA's claims-paying ability.
© 2009 and prior years, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF), New York, NY 10017
