In light of the economic meltdown, CUNA Mutual Group said it will re-engineer its Ultra Series Target Retirement Date Funds to offer more of a buffer.

The redesigned funds use a more conservative approach in the 10 years prior to retirement and after retirement with a focus on capital preservation, said Tom Eckert, vice president of retirement plan services at CUNA Mutual. A "risk management zone" aims to gives portfolio managers the ability to adjust the equity exposure based on current market valuations and economic conditions.

The funds are now being used in more than 2,000 401(k) plans offered by CUNA Mutual and feature Target 2020, 2030 and 2040 versions. The funds are managed by Madison Asset Management, a member of the Madison Investment Advisors Inc. family of companies.

"Outcome-based plans make it easy for participants to save enough for retirement and avoid huge investment mistakes that can occur in typical plans. Investments offered in an outcome-based plan are often not the leading hot funds, but they support better decision making among participants," Eckert said.