Investment advisory services for Guideline’s 401(k) (when 3(38) fiduciary services are appointed) and SEP IRA/IRA products are offered by Guideline Investments, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. References to “Guideline” “we” or “our” in this article specifically refer to Guideline Investments, LLC. For more information regarding fees and services, see Guideline’s ADV 2A Brochure and Form CRS.

As a 3(38) fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and an SEC Registered Investment Advisor, Guideline RK, LLC has strict standards of conduct, responsibility, and obligations. We are legally – and morally – obligated to make prudent and measured investment decisions that are in our 401(k) plans' and their participants’ best interests. These same principles apply to those who choose our IRA products.

Guideline Investments, LLC’s investment committee is responsible for routinely monitoring our fund menu to ensure each selected fund continues to serve the best interests of our clients.

When you set up your Guideline account, you’ll complete a short questionnaire to assess your risk tolerance and saving timeline, among other factors. Based on your answers, we’ll then present you with one of our six managed portfolios, ranging from conservative to very aggressive. Alternatively, you can build your own custom portfolio from our full investment fund menu.

Guideline Investments, LLC offers a wide range of low-cost mutual funds with a variety of strategies chosen to help you diversify your portfolio and meet your retirement goals. We also look for funds that aim to minimize fees, which we believe could negatively affect your investment portfolio’s performance.

Below is a list of our current investment fund menu.

For additional information on each fund, including the expense ratios, share price, and historical returns, please see here.

At this time, we do not offer Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency investments. As an ERISA 3(38) fiduciary and a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA), Guideline has a responsibility to act in the best interest of 401(k) plan participants. These same principles also guide our IRA fund decisions.

Because crypto can be a highly speculative and volatile asset class, asset values can change quickly with little predictability. Extreme swings in value can have a negative impact on participants, especially those nearing retirement.

As a result, as a fiduciary, we do not believe it would be prudent or in the best interest of plan participants to include crypto investments in our portfolio of funds.

Guideline Investments, LLC offers an ESG (environmental, social, and governance) fund through Vanguard’s FTSE Social Index Fund (VFTAX).

We are frequently asked about adding more ESG funds to our menu. Unfortunately, however, the industry currently continues to charge outsized premiums for these funds and has been slow to bring quality, low-cost ESG funds to market.

We’ll continue to monitor the ESG environment and look for opportunities to add more of these funds in the future.

You can make changes to your investment choices at any time within your Guideline dashboard. Here are step-by-step instructions for your 401(k) or IRA.

The information provided herein is general in nature and is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value. Investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses should be considered carefully before investing, and you are advised to consult a qualified financial advisor.

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