Administrative Service Agency P.O. Box Columbus, OH Dear Plan Participant,

Transcription

1 Administrative Service Agency P.O. Box Columbus, OH Dear Plan Participant, Enclosed is the enrollment package that you requested for the Self Directed Investment Account administered through the New York State Deferred Compensation Plan (Plan). This service, provided through the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Personal Choice Retirement Account (PCRA), will permit you to invest a portion of your Plan account assets in investment choices other than the core investment options available under the Plan. Included in this enrollment package are the forms necessary to participate in the Self Directed Investment Account, as well as important informational material describing the PCRA in detail. This mailing contains: The Self Directed Investment Account Application (Participation Agreement Memorandum of Understanding) form The Schwab PCRA Limited Power of Attorney form The Self Directed Investment Account handbook detailing how the PCRA is administered through the Plan A contact listing for questions pertaining to the Plan and the PCRA and A booklet from Schwab Retirement Plan Services providing further explanation of the PCRA Please read these materials and this letter carefully for specific information about how the PCRA works under the Plan. It is important that you understand the requirements and responsibilities of participating in the Self Directed Investment Account before you establish your PCRA. PCRA Investment Choices The Plan has authorized the investment of a portion of your Plan account assets in over 3,200 mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds offered through Schwab s PCRA, with the exception of Self Directed Investments offered as core investment options under the Plan and tax-exempt mutual funds. Currently, the Plan does not permit investments in individual stocks and bonds or the trading of options through the PCRA. Opening Your PCRA To open your PCRA, you must complete and sign the enclosed Self Directed Investment Account Application and Limited Power of Attorney forms and return both forms in the enclosed envelope to: New York State Deferred Compensation Plan Administrative Service Agency PO Box Columbus, OH Because the PCRA is not a basic Plan service, a one-time $15.00 set-up fee and a $15.00 annual maintenance fee to utilize the PCRA will be deducted from your Plan account once your PCRA has been established. In addition to these fees, there may be additional transaction fees imposed by Schwab for the purchase and sale of mutual funds and mutual funds may also impose a "load" or short-term redemption fee. Commissions may be charged for the purchase and sale of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).

2 Transferring Assets to the PCRA If you decide to open a PCRA, you must first fund your PCRA by initiating a transfer of assets from the core investment options in your Plan account to your PCRA account. This transfer is similar to exchanging assets between the Plan s core investment options. However: You must allow two business days for the processing of a transfer of funds from your Plan account to your PCRA and, once transferred to your PCRA, these funds must be invested in a Schwab money market sweep account for one business day You must have a minimum balance of $10,000 in your Plan account to establish your PCRA; The initial transfer to your PCRA must be at least $2,500 Subsequent transfers from your Plan account will be permitted to the extent that the aggregate balance of your core investment options equals or exceeds the balance in your PCRA at the time of the requested transfer. For example, if the balance of your core investment options is $20,000 and the balance of your PCRA is $15,000, you may transfer up to $2,500 to PCRA, leaving a $17,500 balance in each account at the time of the transfer, and Each subsequent transfer to PCRA must be at least $500 Are You Ready for Investing in the Self Directed Investment Account? The Self Directed Investment Account gives you the freedom and responsibility of investing in mutual funds beyond those available to you as core investment options under the Plan. It is important for you to determine whether investing through the Self Directed Investment Account is right for you and your long-term retirement savings goals. In addition to carefully reading all of the material enclosed in this enrollment package, Schwab and the Plan can answer your questions regarding the Self Directed Investment Account: If you have questions specifically about Schwab and the PCRA, you may contact a Schwab representative at If you have questions about the administrative procedures established by the Plan, please speak to a HELPLINE Representative at , or visit the Plan s Web site at Sincerely, New York State Deferred Compensation Plan DC

3 Self Directed Investment Account Handbook Managing Your Own Investments Through a Schwab Personal Choice Retirement Account

4 INTRODUCTION SELF DIRECTED INVESTMENT ACCOUNT OFFERED THROUGH SCHWAB PERSONAL CHOICE RETIREMENT ACCOUNT (PCRA) The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan (Plan) allows participants to invest a portion of their Plan account assets in mutual funds, other than those offered as core investment options under the Plan, and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). This service, known as the Self Directed Investment Account, is provided through the Charles Schwab and Co., Inc. (Schwab) Personal Choice Retirement Account (PCRA), which is a self-directed investment account. The Self Directed Investment Account gives you the freedom and responsibility of selecting and managing investments from a much larger universe of mutual funds than is offered under the Plan. This booklet will help you answer two important questions: 1. Is the Self Directed Investment Account right for me? Later in this booklet there is a series of questions and answers designed to assist you in weighing the factors that you should consider in order to make an informed decision about whether or not to participate in the Self Directed Investment Account. 2. How is the Self Directed Investment Account administered within the Plan? You will learn: How to enroll in the Self Directed Investment Account How to transfer funds to and from the Self Directed Investment Account The investment options available through the Self Directed Investment Account How the Plan and Schwab can help you with transactions through the Self Directed Investment Account ABOUT THE SELF DIRECTED INVESTMENT ACCOUNT WHAT IS THE SELF DIRECTED INVESTMENT ACCOUNT? The Self Directed Investment Account is offered through the Schwab PCRA. PCRA provides you with access to over 3,200 mutual funds and ETFs. PCRA is made available through the Plan, as plan sponsor, and Schwab (member SIPC/NYSE), as the Self Directed Investment Account provider. A complete listing of the mutual fund options and ETFs available through the PCRA are available online at or you may contact Schwab s dedicated PCRA Call Center by calling PCRA. The Plan allows you to direct investments to any of these options, with the exception of mutual funds offered as a core investment option under the Plan and tax-exempt mutual funds. To be eligible to establish a PCRA, the Plan requires that you have a minimum balance of $10,000 in the Plan s core investment options (Core Plan Account). Payroll deferrals must continue to be directed into one or more of the investment options within your Core Plan Account. Investments made through your PCRA can be made only after you transfer funds from your Core Plan Account into your PCRA. Your initial transfer into your PCRA must be at least $2,500. Subsequent transfers into your PCRA will be permitted to the extent that the balance of your Core Plan Account equals or exceeds the balance of your PCRA at the time of the requested transfer. For example, if your Core Plan Account balance equals $20,000 and your PCRA balance equals $15,000, you may transfer up to $2,500 into your PCRA, leaving a

5 $17,500 balance in each account at the time of the transfer. Each subsequent transfer into your PCRA must be at least $500. HOW IS THE PCRA DIFFERENT FROM THE PLAN S CORE INVESTMENT OPTIONS? The difference between the mutual funds offered as core investment options under the Plan and mutual funds offered through the PCRA is that the New York State Deferred Compensation Board (Board) reviews the core investment options (detailed in the Plan brochure entitled, A Guide to the Plan s Investment Options ). Periodic changes are made to the Plan s core investment options to ensure that participants are provided with a diverse selection of suitable long-term investment vehicles. While the Board will be monitoring the overall Self Directed Investment Account service being offered through Schwab, the Board will not be monitoring or reviewing the over 3,200 mutual funds or ETFs offered through the PCRA. By establishing your PCRA, you will be managing your own investments. You will have the freedom and responsibility to plan your investment strategy, research the options, monitor fund performance, evaluate the progress of your investments, make adjustments, and initiate changes as needed. You are solely responsible for determining whether a particular investment option is a proper investment for you and your long-term retirement savings goals. HOW IS THE PCRA DIFFERENT FROM A TYPICAL BROKERAGE ACCOUNT? The PCRA differs from a typical consumer brokerage account because it is funded only through transfers from your Core Plan Account. You cannot make direct deposits to your PCRA or take Plan withdrawals or receive Plan distributions from your PCRA. If you have any other accounts with Schwab (or another brokerage account provider), such as an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you cannot transfer assets between your other accounts and your PCRA. Funds invested through your PCRA continue to be regulated by Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code and the Plan, and all restrictions imposed on your Core Plan Account also apply to any funds transferred to your PCRA. Also, unlike typical consumer brokerage accounts, the Plan has limited the investment options available through your PCRA to mutual funds or ETFs only. Investments in individual stocks and bonds and the trading of options are not allowed. WHAT INVESTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PCRA? Through your PCRA, you can invest in over 3,200 mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Over 1,100 of these options are available with no loads or transaction fees through Schwab s Mutual Fund OneSource Service. A complete listing of the mutual fund options available through the PCRA is available online at or you may contact Schwab s dedicated PCRA Call Center by calling PCRA. The Plan allows you to direct investments in any of these options with the exception of mutual funds offered as a core investment option under the Plan and tax-exempt mutual funds. WHAT ARE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PCRA? Plan Fees All participants who establish a PCRA will be assessed a one-time $15 set-up fee and a $15 annual maintenance fee that will be deducted from the assets in your Core Plan Account immediately after your PCRA has been established. In the future, if your PCRA remains open, the $15 annual maintenance fee will be deducted from your Core Plan Account each year on the anniversary date of the establishment of your PCRA. These fees are in addition to the semi-annual administrative and asset fee imposed by the Plan for standard Plan services. The Board may pass through additional fees for participation in the Self Directed Investment Account that may be deducted from your Core Plan Account in the future should there be additional costs associated with the administration of your PCRA. 2

6 Schwab Fees There may be transaction costs associated with your investment in certain mutual funds and ETFs available through your PCRA. Detailed costs of the mutual funds and ETFs offered through the PCRA are available online at or you may contact Schwab s dedicated PCRA Call Center by calling PCRA. The over 1,100 mutual funds that are included in the Mutual Fund OneSource Service are available for investment with no transaction fees. However, Schwab will charge $49.95 for each redemption of mutual fund shares that were bought without transaction fees if such shares are sold ninety days or less from the date purchased. Schwab also reserves the right to assess its standard transaction fees in the future to mutual funds included in the Mutual Fund OneSource Service should short-term trading in certain mutual funds become excessive. Transaction Fees for Electronic Trades ( TeleBroker, or Schwab by Phone): Mutual Funds $0.00 No Transaction Fee (NTF) Mutual Funds $50.00 Purchase of Transaction Fee Mutual Funds $0.00 Sale of Transaction Fee Mutual Fund (see short term trading fees above) ETFs (Purchased like stock with commission) $8.95 Per Transaction, up to 999,999 shares $0.00 Per Transaction if ETF is Schwab sponsored Note: Schwab will charge an additional $25.00 for any transaction that is broker assisted. Schwab can offer No Transaction Fee (NTF) funds without fees because Schwab receives payment from the registered investment company and/or its affiliate offering a particular mutual fund for services rendered in connection with the Mutual Fund OneSource Service. This payment is based on the net asset value of certain shares held in Schwab customers brokerage accounts. Schwab reserves the right to change the mutual funds that are available without transaction fees and included in the Mutual Fund OneSource Service. Some mutual funds, not included in the Mutual Fund OneSource may have sales charges and/or redemption fees. Please read the prospectus for details. ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PCRA? There are a few restrictions that are imposed by either Schwab or the Plan with regard to the PCRA. These restrictions are as follows: 1. Before you can begin buying mutual funds and ETFs through your PCRA, all transfers from the Core Plan Account must first be deposited into the Schwab Money Market Fund. Schwab will not accept orders for trades until funds are deposited into the Schwab Money Market Fund 1 2. Mutual funds offered as a core investment option under the Plan tax-exempt mutual funds and have been removed from the investment options available to Plan participants and cannot be purchased through your PCRA 3. To establish your PCRA, you must have a minimum balance of $10,000 in your Core Plan Account. A $2,500 minimum initial transfer to PCRA is required to establish your PCRA 4. Subsequent transfers from your Plan account will be permitted to the extent that the aggregate balance of your Core Plan Account equals or exceeds the balance in your PCRA at the time of the requested transfer. For example, if the balance of your Core Plan Account is $20,000 and 1 Prospectuses containing more complete information including management fees, charges and expenses are available from Schwab. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. An investment in the Schwab Money Market Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the Money Market Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Money Market Fund. 3

7 the balance of your PCRA is $15,000, you may transfer up to $2,500 to PCRA, leaving a $17,500 balance in each account at the time of the transfer 5. Each subsequent transfer from your Core Plan Account to your PCRA must be at least $500 WHAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO HELP ME LEARN ABOUT AND SELECT DIFFERENT INVESTMENTS? Schwab can provide you with information and resources to assist you in making informed decisions about investing and reaching your financial goals for retirement. Once you open your PCRA, you may contact Schwab s dedicated PCRA Call Center by calling PCRA or visit Schwab online at These resources are available to help you allocate your assets among broad investment categories. This customized analysis will be based on your specific time horizon and tolerance for risk. You may also take advantage of the counseling and educational services provided through Schwab s nationwide network of over 340 retail Investor Centers, including one-on-one counseling about asset allocation, investment seminars, and more. For the location of the Investor Center most convenient to you, please call the PCRA Call Center or visit Schwab s website. HOW DO I PLACE TRADES THROUGH THE PCRA? You may place trade orders (buy/sell mutual funds and ETFs) through your PCRA by the same channels that are available to any Schwab retail brokerage customer. You may access your PCRA at Schwab and place trade orders whenever it is convenient for you - day or night 2 by the following methods: On Schwab s Web site at Via touch-tone phone with Schwab s automated TeleBroker service at By calling the dedicated PCRA Call Center staffed by registered representatives of Schwab at PCRA By meeting with a Schwab Investment Specialist at more than 340 Schwab offices located nationwide However, before you can begin placing trade orders through your PCRA, you must first fund your PCRA by transferring funds from your Core Plan Account to your PCRA. Transfers from the Core Plan Account will automatically be deposited into the Schwab Money Market Fund. Once the transfer is complete and the funds are deposited into the Money Market Fund, you may place an order with Schwab to trade into any other mutual fund or ETF option available through your PCRA, other than mutual funds offered as a core investment option under the Plan and tax-exempt mutual funds. When you transfer funds back into your Core Plan Account, you will need to sell sufficient shares of the mutual fund(s) held through your PCRA to fund the transfer. These assets will automatically be reinvested in the Schwab Money Market Fund where they will be available to transfer to your Core Plan Account. ARE PLAN WITHDRAWALS OR DISTRIBUTIONS AVAILABLE FROM THE PCRA? All withdrawals and distributions from the Plan, including amounts invested through your PCRA, are subject to the requirements of Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code and the Plan. Withdrawals and distributions can only be processed by the Plan and must be made from the Core Plan Account. PCRA balances cannot be directly accessed for withdrawals or distributions. Once you begin a distribution from the Plan, you will be required to maintain a minimum balance in your Core Plan Account that is sufficient to cover the total of one year s periodic payments. For example, if you are receiving a periodic payment of $1,000 per month, you will be required to maintain a balance in your Core Plan Account of $12,000. If sufficient assets are not available in your Core Plan Account to cover the periodic payments, you will be notified by the Plan to transfer assets back into your Core Plan Account. If you fail to take this action, the Plan will automatically liquidate assets from your PCRA to transfer back into your Core Plan Account. 2 Access to Electronic Services may be limited or unavailable during periods of peak demand, market volatility, systems upgrading, maintenance, or other reasons. 4

8 IS PCRA RIGHT FOR YOU? Ask yourself the following questions to see if you should invest a portion of your Plan account assets through the PCRA. 1. Am I looking for investment choices that are not offered under the Plan to provide additional diversification for my Plan account? With a PCRA, you have over 3,200 additional mutual fund options and Exchange Traded Fund options to help you enhance your existing personalized retirement portfolio beyond the core investment options available under the Plan. 2. Do I have the time, investment know-how and the interest in researching a large listing of investment options to determine which ones are appropriate for my long-term investing needs? While it can take some time to review the Plan s core investment options to determine which ones are best for you, reviewing thirty-four choices takes less time than reviewing over 3,200 choices. With so many options available through PCRA, making well-informed investment decisions will take considerable time and investment knowledge. You will need to carefully research the mutual fund options and ETFs to identify and choose what will best fit your investment strategy. As a result of an increased investment portfolio, you will also need to spend more time closely monitoring investment performance to ensure that you are meeting your long-term investment objectives. By establishing your PCRA, you will have access to a variety of educational resources offered by Schwab to assist you in your investment decisions. To most effectively utilize these resources, however, you should have a sound familiarity with investments, a developed personal interest in keeping up with the market and its trends, and the ability to stay focused on your long-term investment and retirement goals. Schwab imposes transaction fees on certain mutual funds available through the PCRA and some options have loads or 12b-1 fees. Exchange Traded Funds will have a commission. Please refer to Schwab s Web site at or you may contact Schwab s dedicated PCRA Call Center by calling PCRA for details regarding transaction fees. 3. Am I comfortable with risk? Although the Plan s core investment options cover the spectrum of risk categories from conservative to aggressive growth, some mutual funds and ETFs available through the PCRA are inherently more volatile, such as sector funds. The Board has chosen not to offer these type of funds in the Plan s core investment options because of the high level of risk and the possibility that the potential for investment loss will not be completely understood by participants. Your level of investment expertise and the amount of research that you are willing to undertake will help you develop and manage a strategy that best meets your risk profile, whether it be high, moderate, or low risk. When investing through the PCRA it is your responsibility to choose the investment vehicles that best meet your objectives and your risk tolerance. The risks of investing in particular mutual funds and ETFs are described in the fund prospectus that you should read before investing. 4. Can I stay invested for the long-term? PCRA, like any retirement plan investment, is a long-term commitment that can allow you to build a nest egg for the future. The PCRA may not be appropriate if you are planning on beginning a distribution from the Plan in the near future. 5

9 CHOOSING PCRA If you answered yes to these four questions, then the PCRA may be right for you. With access to Schwab s numerous products and services to help you make investment decisions, the PCRA makes sense for the investment-savvy individual who: Is looking for flexibility from a greatly expanded array of investment choices Enjoys taking a greater role in selecting and monitoring investments to create a more diversified and personalized retirement plan portfolio Is comfortable with risk within a long-term strategy HOW TO GET STARTED HOW TO OPEN YOUR PCRA It s easy to open your PCRA. Here s how. 1. Complete and sign the Self Directed Investment Account Application (Self Directed Investment Account Participation Agreement - Memorandum of Understanding) form and the Schwab PCRA Limited Power of Attorney form (LPOA). The LPOA form opens your PCRA and gives you the authority to trade among the mutual funds and ETFs offered through your PCRA, except mutual funds offered as a core investment option under the Plan and tax-exempt mutual funds. The Self Directed Investment Account Application form (Self Directed Investment Account Participation Agreement - Memorandum of Understanding) also must be read and signed to ensure that you are aware of and understand the additional restrictions that will be imposed on your PCRA by the Plan. Both forms are found in this enrollment package. 2. Send the signed forms in the enclosed return envelope to: New York State Deferred Compensation Plan Administrative Service Agency, PW PO Box Columbus, OH Please allow ten days for normal mail delivery and processing time. As soon as your PCRA is set up, Schwab will send you a PCRA Welcome Kit containing: Your PCRA account number An outline of Schwab s services and capabilities Information on how to place trade orders and choose investments Detailed guides for placing orders online at or through the automated phone service using TeleBroker A sample brokerage statement which illustrates your PCRA opening and closing balance, trade activity, and investment gains/losses for the previous quarter HOW TO FUND YOUR PCRA Before you are able to place trades through your PCRA, you will need to fund your PCRA with assets from your Core Plan Account. Transfers into your PCRA must be initiated through the Plan either by calling the HELPLINE at or the Plan s VRU at or by visiting the Plan s website at 6

10 If you initiate your transfer by 4:00 pm Eastern Time on normal business days, the transaction will be processed at that day s closing share price. If initiated after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time or on non-business days, the transfer will be effective as of the next business day s closing share price. Your transferred assets will be deposited directly into the Schwab Money Market Fund at the closing share price for the business day following the business day on which the initial transfer was completed. This will result in your assets being out of the market, or not invested, for two business days. Transfers between your Core Plan Account and your PCRA and vice-versa require two steps, both of which you must initiate separately. Step 1. Transfer your funds from your Core Plan Account to your PCRA and these funds will be automatically invested in the Schwab Money Market Fund. Step 2. Direct a trade (using the funds in the Schwab Money Market Fund) to purchase an investment through your PCRA. Conversely, when you need to move money back to your Core Plan Account, you first must transfer funds into the Schwab Money Market Fund. Transactions from your PCRA will result in your investments being out of the market for two business days. The following tables illustrate when each step becomes effective if you request a transfer from your Core Plan Account to your PCRA or vice versa by 4:00 pm Eastern Time on normal business days. TRANSFERS FROM THE CORE PLAN ACCOUNT TO THE PCRA Transaction Effective Day 1 - Contact the Plan to direct a transfer Day 1 Funds are liquidated from the from your current investment option(s) within selected investment option(s) within the Core Plan Account to your PCRA your Core Plan Account at Day 1 s closing share price and transferred to Schwab Day 2 - Transfer is received and deposited into your PCRA and automatically invested in the Schwab Money Market Fund Day 3 - You may place trades, by contacting Schwab, to invest your PCRA balance held in the Schwab Money Market Fund to other mutual fund options Day 2 - Schwab credits your PCRA account as of Day 2 s closing share price (resulting in the transferred funds being out of the market between Day 1 and Day 2) Investments made at Day 3 s closing price 7

11 TRANSFERS FROM THE PCRA BACK TO THE CORE PLAN ACCOUNT Transaction Effective Day 1 - Contact Schwab to have funds Day 1 - Funds are liquidated from the transferred from your investment option(s) PCRA investment option(s) per within your PCRA to the Schwab Money instructions and transferred to the Market Fund Schwab Money Market Fund Day 1 - Contact the Plan to request that funds be transferred back into your Core Plan Account Day 2 - Assets in the Schwab Money Market Fund are liquidated to fund the transfer to the Core Plan Account (balance in the Money Market Fund must be sufficient to fund transfer) Day 3 - The Plan receives assets and invests in the investment option(s) within the Core Plan Account per instructions Day 1 - Information transmitted to Schwab to liquidate assets in the Schwab Money Market Fund per instructions Day 2 - Schwab liquidates the Money Market Fund at Day 2 s closing share price (resulting in balance being out of the market between Day 1 and Day 2) Day 3 - Investments made at Day 3 s closing share price (resulting in balance being out of the market between Day 2 and Day 3) CHOOSING INVESTMENTS IN YOUR PCRA WHAT INVESTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR PCRA? You may choose from over 3,200 mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds, including 1,100 funds with no loads or transaction fees through the Schwab Mutual Fund OneSource Service. Mutual funds offered as a core investment option under the Plan and tax-exempt mutual funds are not available in your PCRA. HOW TO DECIDE WHAT INVESTMENTS TO CHOOSE In the PCRA Welcome Kit that will be sent to you after your PCRA is opened, you will receive information on a variety of resources available to help you make investment decisions. For example, you will find information on: Asset Allocation Assistance You may contact the PCRA Call Center at PCRA (7272) or visit Schwab online at for help allocating your assets between broad investment categories. This customized analysis is based on your time horizon and tolerance for risk. Making Investment Decisions Schwab also offers a wide variety of aids to help you select investments within each investment category including: The Mutual Fund Select List, 3 prepared in association with Morningstar, Inc., is an easyto-read, quarterly recap that helps pinpoint historically high-performing mutual funds available through Schwab. Of course, past performance is not a guarantee of future results. 3 Prospectuses containing more complete information including management fees, charges and expenses are available from Schwab. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. An investment in the Schwab Money Market Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the Money Market Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Money Market Fund. 8

12 Mutual Fund OneSource Online allows you to view, compare, and match funds to your investing criteria. For prospectuses containing complete information including management fees, charges, and expenses, please call Schwab at Please read the prospectuses carefully before you invest. Research on Request provides objective research on more than 14,000 publicly traded companies. (Please note that, although you are not able to trade in individual securities through your PCRA, this research ability is still available through Schwab and may be beneficial to you for any other trading you may do with assets invested outside of the Plan). INVESTING IN & MANAGING YOUR PCRA ABOUT TRADING THROUGH YOUR PCRA Once your PCRA is initially funded, you can place trade orders (buy/sell) for any of the mutual funds and ETFs available through your PCRA at any time. Please be aware that your PCRA is considered a cash upfront account. This means that for buy orders, you must have sufficient cash in your PCRA to complete the trade at the time that you place the order. Transfers from the Core Plan Account must be completed and deposited into the Schwab Money Market Fund before buy orders can be placed for investment in the other mutual fund options available through your PCRA. For sell orders, you must have a sufficient number of shares of the mutual fund(s) or that you wish to sell in your PCRA to complete the trade at the time that you place the order. Schwab then places the sale and automatically invests your proceeds in the Schwab Money Market Fund. The funds are held in the Money Market Fund until you make another investment or transfer the funds back to your Core Plan Account. Additionally: The purchase of certain mutual funds available through PCRA may be subject to initial and subsequent investment minimums. For example, many mutual funds have initial investment minimums of $1,000. Further information about the requirements of any mutual fund that you decide to invest in, is available online at or you may contact the Schwab PCRA Call Center at PCRA (7272). HOW TO TRADE THROUGH YOUR PCRA You can place trades through your PCRA by the following methods: Go online at Access Schwab s automated touch-tone telephone service, TeleBroker, at , anytime, day or night, 7 days a week 4 Call the PCRA Call Center anytime, day or night, 7 days a week at PCRA (7272) 5 and place a trade with a registered Schwab representative Visit one of Schwab s more than 340 branches nationwide and work with a local investment professional Choose the self-directed method with which you are the most comfortable. More details about these methods will be found in the Welcome Kit mailed to you by Schwab after you open your PCRA. 4 Schwab s short-term transaction fee will be charged on redemptions of mutual funds (except SchwabFunds ) bought through Schwab s Mutual Fund OneSource Service (and certain other mutual funds) with no transaction fee and held for 90 days or less. If you pay a transaction fee to purchase a mutual fund, you will pay a transaction fee when you sell it as well. Schwab reserves the right to change the funds we make available without transaction fees and to reinstate fees on any funds. Schwab receives remuneration from participating fund companies. Please visit Schwab online at or you may contact Schwab s dedicated PCRA Call Center by calling PCRA for more details regarding these and other transaction fees assessed by Schwab. 5 Access to Electronic Services may be limited or unavailable during periods of peak demand, market volatility, systems upgrading, maintenance, or other reasons. 9

13 HOW TO TRACK YOUR PCRA INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE You will have access to with easy-to-understand tools to help you monitor your investments. From Schwab, you will receive: Quarterly PCRA statements detailing your PCRA activity and performance. Monthly statements also are sent whenever you execute a transaction during that time Trade confirmations that will be mailed whenever you make a trade in your PCRA Online access to the last three months of activity in your PCRA at Telephone access through PCRA Call Center at PCRA (7272) for detailed information on investments in your PCRA From the Plan, you will receive: Written confirmation of transfers between your Core Plan Account and your PCRA Quarterly Plan statements reflecting your total Core Plan Account balance, including the aggregate balance of your total investments through your PCRA WITHDRAWALS & DISTRIBUTIONS FROM YOUR PCRA WITHDRAWALS AND DISTRIBUTIONS CAN ONLY BE MADE FROM YOUR CORE PLAN ACCOUNT All withdrawals and distributions from your Core Plan Account, including the amounts invested through your PCRA, are subject to the requirements of Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code and the Plan. Withdrawals and distributions can only be processed by the Plan and must be made from the Core Plan Account. PCRA balances cannot be directly accessed for withdrawals or distributions and cannot be transferred to any other brokerage account. Once you begin receiving a distribution from the Plan, you will be required to maintain a minimum balance in your Core Plan Account that will be sufficient to cover the total of one year s periodic payments. For example, if you are receiving a periodic payment of $1,000 per month, you will be required to maintain a balance in your Core Plan Account of $12,000. If sufficient assets are not available in your Core Plan Account to cover the periodic payment, you will be notified by the Plan to transfer assets from your PCRA back into the Core Plan Account. If you fail to take this action, the Plan will automatically liquidate assets from your PCRA and transfer those assets back to your Core Plan Account. If automatic liquidations from your PCRA account are made, they will be processed as follows: Assets will be liquidated first from the Schwab Money Market Fund, then from other Mutual Funds OneSource Service money market funds, redeeming first from those funds with the highest balance Assets will be liquidated next from the Mutual Fund OneSource Service options that have been held for more than 90 days, redeeming shares first from those fund(s) with the highest balance Assets will be liquidated then from the Mutual Fund OneSource Service options that have been held for less than 90 days, redeeming shares first from those fund(s) with the highest balance, and finally Assets will be liquidated then from the balance in any other mutual fund(s) according to the highest balance. Assets will be liquidated then from the balance in any Exchange Traded Funds. Brochures are available from the Plan s HELPLINE to describe and explain the Plan s withdrawal and distribution requirements. 10

14 HOW TO CLOSE YOUR PCRA You may close your PCRA at any time. When you are ready to close your PCRA, contact Schwab to liquidate your mutual fund holdings held through your PCRA. Upon settlement of this transaction, Schwab will transfer your proceeds to the Schwab Money Market Fund and then you must authorize the transfer of these funds back to your Core Plan Account by either calling the Plan s HELPLINE or VRU or by visiting the Plan s website. The transfer from the Money Market Fund back to the Core Plan Account is not automatic and will not take place without your instructions to the Plan. TAKING THE NEXT STEP This booklet gives you an informative overview of the PCRA and its workings. If you feel a PCRA is an appropriate investment option for you, please complete and submit signed original copies of the required Schwab LPOA form and Self Directed Investment Account Application form included in this enrollment package and return both forms to the Plan in the enclosed envelope. Once you open your PCRA, please contact the Schwab PCRA Call Center at PCRA (7272) for answers to any further questions about your PCRA. If you have additional questions about how a PCRA would work as a part of your investment strategy in the Plan, please contact the Plan s HELPLINE at DC

15 Plan Mission Statement The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan is a voluntary retirement savings plan that provides quality investment options, investment educational programs and related services to help State and local public employees achieve their retirement savings goals. Administrative Service Agency Mailing Address: New York State Deferred Compensation Plan Administrative Service Agency PO Box Columbus, OH Phone: Toll Free (800) Available 24 hours a day. Personalized assistance is available 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, except holidays. TTY/TDD services are available toll-free (800) hours a day. Web Site: New York State Deferred Compensation Board Empire State Plaza Concourse-North, Room 124 Albany, NY (518) The NYSDCP does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the provision of service or employment. If you need this material interpreted in a different form or if you need assistance using it, contact us at (800) Securities offered through Nationwide Investment Services Corporation, Member FINRA. 2005, N.Y.S. Department of Economic Development New York Photography Only The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan is a State-sponsored employee benefit for State employees and employees of participating employers. DC

16 SELF DIRECTED INVESTMENT ACCOUNT APPLICATION PERSONAL DATA Name (Please Print) Home Address Social Security Number Date of Birth City State Zip Code Home Telephone Number Employer Name Work Telephone Number PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT & MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING The purpose of this memorandum of understanding is to ensure that you understand and agree to the major requirements and provisions associated with the Self Directed Investment Account administered through the New York State Deferred Compensation Plan (Plan). This memorandum does not cover all of the details of the Self Directed Investment Account or the Plan, and you are encouraged to read the brochures included with your enrollment package before you decide to enroll in the Self Directed Investment Account. 1. You are eligible to enroll in the Self Directed Investment Account if your balance in the Plan s core investment options (Core Plan Account) is $10,000 or more at the time of your initial transfer of assets to the Self Directed Investment Account. 2. Once a Self Directed Investment Account has been established in your name, you may only invest in the Self Directed Investment Account after transferring funds from your Core Plan Account to the Self Directed Investment Account. You cannot have your payroll contribution amounts deferred directly into the Self Directed Investment Account. Your initial transfer to the Self Directed Investment Account must be at least $2, Subsequent transfers from the Core Plan Account will be permitted to the extent that the balance of your Core Plan Account equals or exceeds the balance in your Self Directed Investment Account at the time of the requested transfer. For example, if your Core Plan Account balance equals $20,000 and your Self Directed Investment Account balance equals $15,000, you may transfer up to $2,500 to the Self Directed Investment Account, leaving a $17,500 balance in each account at the time of the transfer. Each subsequent transfer into the Self Directed Investment Account must be at least $ Assets transferred to the Self Directed Investment Account or from the Self Directed Investment Account back to the Core Plan Account will be out of the market, or not invested, for the following periods of time: Transfers requested by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on normal business days to the Self Directed Investment Account require two business days to process; and, Transfers from the Self Directed Investment Account back to the Core Plan Account require three business days to process. 5. Transfers from your Core Plan Account to the Self Directed Investment Account are first deposited into a money market sweep account of the Self Directed Investment Account provider. Once assets are deposited in this money market account, trades may be made among the options available through the Self Directed Investment Account only by contacting the Self Directed Investment Account provider. To transfer assets from the Self Directed Investment Account back to your Core Plan Account, assets must first be transferred to the money market sweep account of the selected Self Directed Investment Account provider before a trade back to the Core Plan Account can be processed. If you do not contact the Plan, your assets will remain in the money market sweep account of the Self Directed Investment Account provider. 6. Once a Self Directed Investment Account has been established in your name, you must contact the Self Directed Investment Account provider directly to place trades through the Self Directed Investment Account. Please be aware that you cannot execute trades through the Self Directed Investment Account by calling the Plan s voice response system, HELPLINE, or the Plan s Web site. Depending on the particular mutual funds or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that you invest in, there may be transaction fees, front and back end loads, sales charges, and other fees assessed to your Self Directed Investment Account. These fees are automatically deducted from your Self Directed Investment Account as they are incurred. It is your responsibility to be aware of and understand

17 these fees and charges, as described in the commission schedule provided by the Self Directed Investment Account provider and the prospectus of any mutual fund. 7. A one-time $15 set-up fee and a $15 annual maintenance fee will be deducted from the assets in your Core Plan Account immediately after your Self Directed Investment Account has been established. The $15 annual maintenance fee will be deducted from your Core Plan Account each year on the anniversary date of the establishment of your Self Directed Investment Account. These fees are in addition to the annual administrative fee imposed by the Plan for standard Plan services. The New York State Deferred Compensation Board (Board) may pass through additional fees for participation in the Self Directed Investment Account that may be deducted from your Core Plan Account in the future should there be additional costs associated with the administration of the Self Directed Investment Account. 8. Your quarterly Plan statement will indicate the aggregate amount invested in the Self Directed Investment Account. You will receive separate statements from the Self Directed Investment Account provider that will itemize your transactions and account balance in the Self Directed Investment Account. 9. Your Self Directed Investment Account balance continues to be subject to the requirements of Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code and the Plan. Assets cannot be transferred or distributed directly from the Self Directed Investment Account. To transfer to another qualified retirement plan or to receive a withdrawal or distribution, you first must transfer assets from the Self Directed Investment Account back to the Core Plan Account as described in item 5 above. 10. Upon commencement of a distribution of benefits from the Plan, you must maintain a balance in your Core Plan Account that will be sufficient to cover distribution payments scheduled to be made during a one-year period. You will be notified by the Plan in the event that assets need to be transferred from your Self Directed Investment Account back to your Core Plan Account to meet this requirement. If you do not maintain the required minimum balance in your Core Plan Account, the Plan is authorized to automatically liquidate assets from your Self Directed Investment Account and transfer those assets to your Core Plan Account to meet this requirement. 11. The Board has selected the Self Directed Investment Account provider to offer you the opportunity to invest a portion of your account balance in additional investment options offered through the Self Directed Investment Account. The Board, its Financial Consultant, the State of New York, participating employers of the Plan, and the Administrative Service Agency are not responsible for monitoring or evaluating the investment options that are made available through the Self Directed Investment Account nor are they liable for any loss that results from your investment choices under the Self Directed Investment Account. You are solely responsible for monitoring and evaluating the investment options that you invest in through the Self Directed Investment Account to assure that they are proper investments for your personal long-term retirement savings plan. 12. Mutual funds that are available as a core investment option under the Plan and tax-exempt mutual funds will not be made available through the Self Directed Investment Account. The Board, at any time, may restrict access to other mutual funds available through the Self Directed Investment Account. 13. Mutual funds and ETFs offered through the Self Directed Investment Account are not obligations of or insured by the FDIC or any other government agency. Any investments made through the Self Directed Investment Account are not endorsed or guaranteed by the Plan or the Board and are subject to risks, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested. The risks of investing in particular mutual funds and ETFs are described in the fund prospectus, that you should read before investing. Your investment values may fluctuate so that when it is sold, your investment may be worth more or less than when it was purchased. An investment s past performance should not be considered an indication or guarantee of its future results. I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to the Self Directed Investment Account participation requirements as set forth above. I accept and understand that the Board may change these requirements at any time. I will be notified of any major changes, and it is my responsibility to read and be aware of these changes. I have been provided with and read the applicable brochures regarding the Self Directed Investment Account enclosed with my enrollment package and I understand this information. I also understand that my participation in the Self Directed Investment Account is subject to the completion of additional enrollment forms required by the Self Directed Investment Account provider and that the Self Directed Investment Account provider may have additional requirements regarding my participation in the Self Directed Investment Account. Participant Signature Date Return to: New York State Deferred Compensation Plan Overnight Address: New York State Deferred Compensation Plan Administrative Service Agency Administrative Service Agency, DSPF-F2 P.O. Box Southpark Place, Suite A Columbus, OH Grove City, OH OR Fax to: When faxing paperwork, please allow two hours from receipt for it to be processed. If your fax is sent after 3 p.m. your paperwork will be processed on the next business day. DC