The Northern Trust Company 401(k): best low-cost funds
The Northern Trust Company Thrift-incentive Plan · Plan #002 · Chicago, IL
Suggested simple Boglehead mix
The public data doesn't show enough index funds from this plan to suggest a full mix. A typical Boglehead approach: look in your menu for a US total market or S&P 500 index fund, an international index fund, and a US bond index fund, all with expense ratios under about 0.10%. Or use one low-cost target-date index fund. How the 3-fund portfolio works.
Know this plan's fund menu? Submit it and we'll add a fund-by-fund pick list.
Pooled funds named in the filing (Schedule D)
These are collective trusts and similar pooled funds the plan reported holding. Names that look like index funds are tagged index by keyword, so check them yourself. Mutual funds are not listed by name in the free data.
| Fund | Manager | Type | Plan's holding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Trust S&P 500 Index Fund index | Northern Trust Investments, Inc. | Common/collective trust | $960.7M |
| TRP Structured Research Comm TR FD | T. Rowe Price Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $256.1M |
| Northern Trust Acwi Ex-us Fund | Northern Trust Investments, Inc. | Common/collective trust | $197.9M |
| Northern Trust S&P 400 Index Fund index | Northern Trust Investments, Inc. | Common/collective trust | $168.3M |
| Jennison US Small/mid CAP EQ Fund | Prudential Trust CO. | Common/collective trust | $128.4M |
| Northern Trust Aggregate Bond Index index | Northern Trust Investments, Inc. | Common/collective trust | $120.4M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2045 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $106.5M |
| Northern Trust Russell 2000 Index index | Northern Trust Investments, Inc. | Common/collective trust | $105.3M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2035 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $104.0M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2030 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $93.3M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2040 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $92.8M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2050 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $90.8M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX RET Fund | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $87.8M |
| MFS Heritage TR CO Intl Equity Fund | MFS Heritage Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $81.9M |
| IGT Invesco Shrttrm Bond | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $71.9M |
| Wells Fargo Core Bond II CIT | Wells Fargo Bank, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $61.7M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2055 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $59.0M |
| Northern Trust Tips Index Fund index | Northern Trust Investments, Inc. | Common/collective trust | $40.8M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2060 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $39.9M |
| Short-term Investment Fund | Northern Trust Investments, Inc. | Common/collective trust | $29.3M |
| IGT Jennison INT | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $15.8M |
| IGT Invesco INT | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $15.8M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2065 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $13.7M |
| IGT Loomis Sayles INT | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $7.9M |
| IGT Pimco INT | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $7.9M |
| IGT Loomis Sayles Core | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $7.9M |
| IGT Invesco Core | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $7.9M |
| IGT Pimco Core | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $7.9M |
| IGT Dodge & COX Core | Invesco Trust Company | Common/collective trust | $7.8M |
| Blackrock Lifepath IDX 2025 Fund N | Blackrock Institutional Trust Company, N.a. | Common/collective trust | $0 |
How plan assets are invested
| Category (Schedule H) | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Registered investment companies (mutual funds) | $82.4M | 2.5% |
| Common/collective trusts | $3.0B | 89.9% |
| Employer securities (company stock) | $232.1M | 7.0% |
| Participant loans | $26.7M | 0.8% |
Fees paid from plan assets
| Total administrative expenses | $1.6M |
Reported administrative expenses were about 0.051% of average plan assets, or about $115 per participant with a balance. This usually excludes fund expense ratios netted inside mutual funds and trusts.
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 & Schedules H/D, filing ID 20250626095956NAL0021140514001. EIN 361561860.
FAQ
What are the best low-cost funds in the The Northern Trust Company 401(k)?
The free public data doesn't list enough of the The Northern Trust Company plan's index funds to say. Look in your plan's fee disclosure (404a-5 notice) for a US stock index fund, an international index fund and a bond index fund with low expense ratios.
Can I build a three-fund portfolio in the The Northern Trust Company 401(k)?
Possibly. Many large plans offer the three building blocks, but the public data for this plan doesn't confirm it. A low-cost target-date index fund is a common one-fund alternative.
How big is the The Northern Trust Company 401(k) plan?
The plan reported about $3.3B in net assets and 13,938 participants with balances for plan year 2024, according to its DOL Form 5500 filing.
Where does this data come from?
From public U.S. Department of Labor Form 5500 filings (EFAST2) and, where noted, the plan's SEC Form 11-K. Data can be outdated or incomplete, and this page is not financial advice.
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