Kieran

Thank you so much @shirley / Bob (looks like you signed off as Bob?)! :))) This is perfectly clear to me... I will DEFINITELY be making serious changes in January 2021. I am glad that at that point, it will only be 3 months worth of contributions, and not several years or several decades.

Thank you again @krow36 & @MNGopher !!!! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you and thanking you for your time. I have been exceptionally busy on my first year "teacher grind"! But I am so glad I find the work rewarding and invigorating, even if it ends up being a grueling 12 hr day! Love it! My plan of action will be to: 1) Try to switch to Vanguard at the next open enrollment period if it is an option by January 2021 2) If I cannot switch directly to Vanguard, I will continue with Aspire and obviously drop the "financial professional" (skipping the 0.6% fee) from my Aspire 403(b) 3) Once the "financial professional" is cut out, I will ensure I am investing in the Vanguard Admiral funds via Aspire (because right now my portfolio is what was suggested by the Equitable rep - screens attached of his recommendations)

Hi Krow36! Thank you for the helpful and speedy response! I just looked back at my form that I completed a couple weeks ago, and dang, there was a box that either I checked saying I wanted to appoint a Financial Professional or it was checked for me. Either way, my bad for not being more vigilant. The good news is that I have only made one contribution so far ($200/pay period or $400/month). The bad news is that I will likely have to wait until the next open enrollment period to make changes to my plan (I think I heard around the beginning of 2021 would be the next open enrollment period). Other 403(b) options in my district are: American Century Investors, Ameriprise Financial Services, AXA/Equitable (no thanks), First Investors Funds, Franklin Templeton Investments, Global Atlantic, Pacific Life, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, VOYA, and Waddell & Reed. It might be worth noting that I was able to locate Vanguard as an option for my school district when I went to the Vanguard Vendor Search Tool (screens attached), but at the beginning of the year, Human Resources sent out that 403(b) vendor list and Vanguard was not listed 🤷‍♂️ . I absolutely LOVE Vanguard and have been building up a nice Roth IRA in my professional career before I entered teaching. I am teaching in Illinois, and we do have 457 options at my school district. I do plan on getting involved with a 457, but wanted to ease into investment game first with a 403(b). Thank you again so so so much!

Dear 403bwise Community, New first year teacher here. I just signed up for an Aspire 403(b) plan! Which is great! BUT, I just now noticed it was done through an Equitable rep. Will my 403(b) plan still be okay since it is with Aspire? Or am I in trouble because it was set up through an Equitable rep? Should I plan an escape strategy next open enrollment period to get away from Equitable? Thank you for everything!