TIAA-CREF vs the competition - would like advice
 

I have used TIAA-CREF in the past for TSAs and am wondering if that is the best way to go. I know they charge minimal fees and are very popular at the university level, but could i do better with another company?

My portfolio is divided between TIAA Traditional (10%), CREF Equity Index (20%), CREF Global Index (70%). I'm still young, so i don't mind some variance over the long-term. I put in $1200/month. I also have a separate retirement plan through the university that pays me about 60% of my highest pre-retirement salary every year until my death, so if i lost all my money at TIAA-CREF, i would still be able to retire semi-comfortably. Because of that, i'm willing to be a little (not extremely) risky to get higher returns.

Is this a wise portfolio? If not, what would be a superior plan for me?

Any advice would be welcome. And keep in mind that i'm not an expert in this area by any means, but it's never too late to start learning!


Edited to add performance charts:

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6861/crefwn5.jpg

Re: TIAA-CREF vs the competition - would like advice
 

Ganja, the key question would be who else you have available. Your employer controls the vendors you have access to, and with some recent law changes, that list will likely be restricted further if you currently have a large number of choices.

It looks like you have their basic fund lineup, so I think your allocation is reasonable, although if you have TIAA Real Estate available I would strongly consider a healthy allocation to the fund (20-30%). It is one of the few nearly unique investment types out there and is considerably more attractive than the REITS one would usually find available. I also don't believe Global Equities is an index, it is partially actively managed if that matters to you.

TIAA-CREF is a very good choice given what is out there, and has been known for low fees and ethical management for many years, so it may not be your best choice, depending on what else is available, but it is a very good choice.

Re: TIAA-CREF vs the competition - would like advice
 

Hi wdcbooks, thanks for your advice. You're right about the Global Equities not being an Index. I mistyped that. They do have TIAA Real Estate available, and it's been a strong performer since inception (9.62%), so i think i will take a 25% allocation of that as suggested.

Thanks again.