Nuveen and SEI: Advancing retirement innovation.

For Nuveen, a Chicago-based global asset manager, that challenge shapes everything. Through a broad range of investment solutions, Nuveen delivers comprehensive offerings designed to meet the evolving needs of defined contribution (DC) plan sponsors and their participants.

As trustee, SEI Trust Company provides the operational foundation, helping to bring new collective investment trust (CIT) strategies to market and supporting Nuveen’s expanding lineup. In 2025 alone, the teams launched 16 new CITs and 14 new share classes, representing approximately $1.9 billion in new assets at launch.

The result is a strategic partnership that pairs Nuveen’s investment innovation with SEI's operational expertise with the goal of helping to support better retirement outcomes.

Inside the Lifecycle Income funds.

In 2024, Nuveen introduced its Lifecycle Income CIT Series, designed as a next-generation approach to target-date investing. These funds embed lifetime income directly into the portfolio by incorporating the TIAA Secure Income Account into the glidepath. This combines long-term growth potential and guaranteed income in a single, cohesive solution. The partnership with TIAA allows Nuveen to bring decades of established retirement income expertise to defined contribution investors in a new and accessible way.

Executing a strategy like this takes close coordination across investment management, administration, and distribution. SEI Trust Company plays a central role, providing the trust framework and support needed to manage a more complex, integrated investment and income solution.

Beyond target-date funds, Nuveen also expanded its defined contribution lineup in 2024 by launching an alternative fund that brings a diversified real estate strategy to the DC market through a CIT structure. This further broadened the options available to plan sponsors seeking differentiated investment solutions for their participants.

One relationship. Multiple ways to deliver.

Today, the SEI/Nuveen relationship spans more than 95 funds with 165 active share classes and almost  $30 billion in assets.¹ Beyond CITs, the partnership includes more than $1 billion across four Nuveen separately managed accounts (SMAs) distributed through SEI’s advisor business, a Nuveen private real estate fund on the SEI Access Marketplace, and fund administration services for Churchill, Nuveen’s private credit firm.

Going forward, SEI and Nuveen continue to discuss and explore additional opportunities to jointly expand our long-term relationship.  And as the retirement landscape evolves, the partnership is well positioned to adapt and build on its shared strengths.

¹As of March 2026.

Important information

Information provided by SEI Investments Company through its affiliates and subsidiaries. This case study is provided for illustrative and discussion purposes only and reflects a specific situation faced by a particular client. Individual client experiences, results, and timeframes will vary based on unique circumstances and market conditions, and there is no assurance that similar outcomes will be achieved.

The situation presented is intended to be representative of challenges faced by clients in this category; however, each client’s needs and circumstances differ, and SEI does not imply that the approach described is suitable for any other client. The views expressed herein reflect the good faith opinions of the author(s) as of the date of original publication and may not have been updated.

SEI Trust Company (the “Trustee”) serves as the Trustee of the Nuveen Lifecycle Income CIT Series and the Nuveen Real Estate Diversified Collective Investment Trust I and II (collectively the “Funds”, individual the “Fund”) and maintains ultimate fiduciary authority over the management of, and the investments made, in the Funds. The Funds are not mutual funds. The Funds are part of Collective Investment Trusts (individually “Trust”) operated by the Trustee. The Trustee is a trust company organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and wholly owned subsidiary of SEI Investments Company (SEI).

The Nuveen Income CIT Series Trust is managed by the Trustee based on the investment advice of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, the investment adviser to the trust. The Nuveen Real Estate Diversified Collective Investment Trust I and II are also managed by the Trustee based on the investment advice of Nuveen Alternative Advisors, LLC, the investment adviser to the trust.

Each Trust is a trust for the collective investment of assets of participating tax qualified pension and profit-sharing plans and related trusts, and governmental plans as more fully described in the Declaration of Trust. As a bank collective trust, the Trust is exempt from registration as an investment company.

This material is not intended to be a recommendation or investment advice, does not constitute a solicitation to buy, sell or hold a security or investment strategy and is not provided in a fiduciary capacity. The information provided does not take into account the specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor, or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on an investor's objectives and circumstances and in consultation with their financial advisors. Financial professionals should independently evaluate the risks associated with products or services and exercise independent judgment with respect to their clients.

The view and opinions expressed in this material are for informational and educational purposes only as of the date of production/writing and may change without notice at any time based on numerous factors, such as market, economic or other conditions, legal and regulatory developments, additional risks and uncertainties and may not come to pass.

Important information on risk

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investments carry a certain degree of risk, including the possible loss of principal, and there is no assurance that an investment will provide positive performance over any period of time. Certain products and services may not be available to all entities or persons. There is no guarantee that investment objectives will be achieved. 

A plan fiduciary should consider the Funds’ objectives, risks, and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Declaration of Trust and the Funds’ Disclosure Memorandum. The Fund is not a mutual fund, and its units are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction.

TIAA Secure Income Account is a fixed annuity product issued through a contract by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), 730 Third Avenue., New York, NY 10017. Form series including but not limited to: TIAA-STDFA-001-NUV and related state specific versions. Any guarantees under annuities issued by TIAA are subject to TIAA’s claims-paying ability. The TIAA Secure Income Account is a guaranteed insurance contract and is not registered or regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Nuveen, LLC provides investment solutions through its investment specialists.

5628596