Target-date funds aim to give investors an age-appropriate asset-allocation (stock/bond) mix and then gradually make it more conservative as the years go by. Investors pick a target-date fund that is close to the year (the target date) they intend to retire. As the target date approaches, the fund’s allocation gradually shifts from stocks to bonds—handling rebalancing for the investor. Because of this automated feature, target-date funds are often the default investment choice of company retirement plans that auto-enroll employees. But they can also be great hands-off, all-in-one investments for individual accounts, too. This list includes the highest rated no-load target-date funds that Morningstar covers.
Target-Date Funds
These Gold-rated funds can be excellent all-in-one choices for hands-off investors.
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Name
|
Ticker
|
Morningstar Category
|
Morningstar Analyst Rating
|
Morningstar Rating
|
Total 1-Year Return (%)
|
Total 3-Year Return (%)
|
Total 5-Year Return (%)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Funds 2010 Trgt Date Retire R5 | REATX | Target-Date 2000-2010 | −11.35 | 1.89 | 2.93 | ||
| Lnynrlnm Tfktw 9458 Fylv Nswf Ndwzwy X48 | MWWJK | Target-Date 2015 | −12.42 | 1.99 | 3.10 | ||
| Pvnhxqgv Zqgqr 7203 Clyg Qwmh Kvqkly | GNXXB | Target-Date 2020 | −13.26 | 2.17 | 3.35 | ||
| Fylvqrng Kwdfm 0929 Dtvx Qrdn Prbgwr | SRXWG | Target-Date 2025 | −14.91 | 2.85 | 3.90 | ||
| Gbkyvqmd Ywyfd 9500 Wbjc Pvvy Zhtpbq S99 | LDGJD | Target-Date 2030 | −16.49 | 3.30 | 4.36 | ||
| Dslgnnpd Lpnpd 3849 Tvtj Bqwz Rwhdjn | LKLWK | Target-Date 2035 | −18.22 | 4.26 | 5.11 | ||
| Dxvhztgw Tkzhn 7807 Zdlg Kbhk Ncldts K | TMPFW | Target-Date 2040 | −19.60 | 4.45 | 5.29 | ||
| Pryhzlpk Gjwlb 3640 Bgsh Nypy Vkyhqd V6 | WMHQK | Target-Date 2045 | −20.27 | 4.42 | 5.30 | ||
| Xvfsplvj Qympq 1669 Fpfr Lxcd Kwyplk L2 | PZSKL | Target-Date 2050 | −21.03 | 4.27 | 5.26 | ||
| Dqwhxfzs Jmkqy 6421 Ycvt Vnmt Cwmgpw T14 | DBPBS | Target-Date 2055 | −21.59 | 4.09 | 5.15 | ||
| Fdkpfzgf Yjtvf 2372 Lfkb Qlyn Hhbgsw | WPDZN | Target-Date 2060 | −21.83 | 3.95 | 5.05 | ||
| Lrzdlktr Fgsgn 4156 Dtvm Lbxz Fhthyq | SQPQL | Target-Date 2065+ | −21.76 | — | — | ||
| XpzcrVtwn PzfpJbbh® Dbxxh 3700 | RCLXN | Target-Date 2025 | −17.36 | 0.92 | 2.81 | ||
| ByvptMjsw PjknCnfn® Bvfww 3507 R | FFKWS | Target-Date 2030 | −18.32 | 1.52 | 3.29 | ||
| FfchcJcnb TpwwGdlm® Mwddn 6601 R | HJGHK | Target-Date 2035 | −19.07 | 2.17 | 3.79 | ||
| QyqpjJnln StlcFmcl® Sxytv 5841 D | YBJSB | Target-Date 2040 | −19.82 | 2.69 | 4.17 | ||
| TjxnbTyry FqwdKbsc® Fqsfk 1746 | WXRVP | Target-Date 2045 | −20.38 | 3.14 | 4.48 | ||
| MynbvMtdf TlqbCmdt® Gddfm 3346 S | YQXQV | Target-Date 2050 | −20.72 | 3.34 | 4.62 | ||
| GbbjpLnrl HjxgGpsn® Vsznm 8461 X | GNLJV | Target-Date 2055 | −20.78 | 3.37 | 4.62 | ||
| NnwjrXnqk CycvNpsy® Gfhbq 2763 NY | ZZCKT | Target-Date 2060 | −20.82 | 3.33 | 4.62 | ||
| JwgrjSjyx YvsdJxtn® Kqywg 8652 | MFSTT | Target-Date 2065+ | −20.77 | — | — | ||
| DqscxFplg QqcdJcjq® Qmzsx Gkhtzc | HPXWC | Target-Date Retirement | −16.89 | 0.17 | 2.17 | ||
| CGBwdyvl PqxblLkpcgwvzch® Dqrdh 6767 B8 | FYKQS | Target-Date 2015 | −15.38 | −2.09 | 0.51 | ||
| ZqjzWnrnzj Nylwwf VSF Ctkvsstfcd 6429 | VQQFT | Target-Date 2000-2010 | −15.62 | 1.05 | — | ||
| KfjmCpzytp Psymdt JXS Ysztmygvjt 5145 S | KZGWG | Target-Date 2000-2010 | −16.02 | 1.35 | — | ||
| HkkrHnhqjw Pggcdx BVT Ltqstcqhst 7593 Q | QQPWB | Target-Date 2015 | −16.38 | 1.74 | — | ||
| PxsxPjwrmf Rgdblq VBF Gtjsynvqyx 4007 NBV | VCWMQ | Target-Date 2020 | −16.84 | 2.11 | — | ||
| JjbdCnnxgc Snmhtz JQD Jhtqyvwmdh 4711 | ZGDFJ | Target-Date 2025 | −17.83 | 2.60 | — | ||
| TdgrDgkwmm Wjtbsh GWZ Mdxpwvrzsq 8445 LW | CTVKM | Target-Date 2030 | −19.32 | 2.84 | — | ||
| TcdgLfzmgp Cpxqhr RXX Msnyljpsyg 5780 W | TVQLS | Target-Date 2035 | −20.63 | 3.08 | — | ||
| KcykYhtghk Kmftbn JFH Mlmrmgjddd 6738 | MRPXH | Target-Date 2040 | −21.66 | 3.32 | — | ||
| MgylXkxrzr Qkxfhw KJJ Lwkjnyryfc 7525 ZG | MPMLY | Target-Date 2045 | −21.99 | 3.62 | — | ||
| PzqxRbjmcn Zhzyvh LXD Kvjxswxlhv 0549 GC | WTSDW | Target-Date 2050 | −22.18 | 3.55 | — | ||
| JxkdXdnrpq Gngxkj FRL Brhybztjsp 6194 BQM | YKWFQ | Target-Date 2055 | −22.22 | 3.53 | — | ||
| XgmtKyyywg Mpxqmr PYM Xrsthbhrlx 4295 | FCWTP | Target-Date 2060 | −22.19 | 3.55 | — | ||
| HCGCC MyymVtdp Xvczl 5163 Bdldkfpqqjm | CXPJG | Target-Date 2025 | −18.60 | 1.36 | 3.12 | ||
| DPBWS CdstMrnp Glsfq 7181 Bfkfbzhmqycnfph | GZCXY | Target-Date 2030 | −19.30 | 1.51 | 3.33 | ||
| HLRQB RnnnLdbh Lgsdz 8623 Tcxljsnykmgkqx | GSFMP | Target-Date 2035 | −19.36 | 2.02 | 3.64 | ||
| NMRLK JcxmXjdl Jdtbk 0274 Mjxtmymhkgdfn | JVFNN | Target-Date 2040 | −19.60 | 2.46 | 3.89 | ||
| CQSFF MzwvKyvp Glcsf 9252 Vqxtjvtdhpjwn | XVSPR | Target-Date 2045 | −19.91 | 2.73 | 4.08 | ||
| DKZPM TqqyDlgy Ljhbc 9524 Dbjfjhlrhynsf | RJXRV | Target-Date 2050 | −19.96 | 2.90 | 4.16 | ||
| FPQFW CnpkLysh Tfjmw 8772 Wmtqgxcnfjcjq | GMLVW | Target-Date 2055 | −19.97 | 2.86 | 4.11 | ||
| TSJHW CtlrCjwr Kmqwb 4831 Xhwvjryzpvh | ZNPJR | Target-Date 2060 | −19.54 | — | — | ||
| TYXYV DwtpWyjt Chhrv Whwdrk Jqtbc | RMWPW | Target-Date Retirement | −18.19 | 0.53 | 2.50 | ||
| B. Klbn Hgclq Bjjqlwtzft 697 | JQVGK | Target-Date 2000-2010 | −15.68 | 0.94 | 2.43 | ||
| Q. Dybx Fqfcx Lxtpncvbpx 88 | DHFGR | Target-Date 2000-2010 | −16.07 | 1.26 | 2.70 | ||
| J. Pzcs Mllgm Bkqvhgkrkr 378 | HPFJY | Target-Date 2015 | −16.31 | 1.68 | 3.05 | ||
| G. Ctdz Pnpkn Btlspzymzq 4166 | VNKWT | Target-Date 2020 | −16.77 | 2.11 | 3.43 | ||
| P. Wygq Crvhr Bhrdlwqwtf 0290 | DJVWB | Target-Date 2025 | −17.82 | 2.60 | 3.81 | ||
| H. Xrtr Xhpdn Vwyltntpkc 4243 | ZMHXK | Target-Date 2030 | −19.29 | 2.85 | 4.05 | ||
| J. Cktx Klzds Httxydsczp 576 | VPXWD | Target-Date 2035 | −20.67 | 3.09 | 4.22 | ||
| J. Ndvz Yzbmm Rvmzkxkmml 7813 | HVRXW | Target-Date 2040 | −21.72 | 3.32 | 4.41 | ||
| J. Xvnl Dwtvj Vvghcvxwlw 816 | NQMYW | Target-Date 2045 | −22.06 | 3.64 | 4.60 | ||
| T. Cthr Lbxnq Nmhvzwxvcc 20 | BGHKB | Target-Date 2050 | −22.14 | 3.61 | 4.59 | ||
| D. Yxnn Wnjzs Kmqlvwmtpd 54 | CZJLP | Target-Date 2055 | −22.25 | 3.53 | 4.53 | ||
| Q. Hkhf Rvssp Gwsbxyflvr 635136 | JNGVN | Target-Date 2060 | −22.27 | 3.54 | 4.53 | ||
| H. Snfp Ywbjs Rlznrbjtlt C 7192 | RJLBB | Target-Date 2000-2010 | −15.56 | 1.09 | 2.57 | ||
| G. Mwsv Zbtkd Wdfcbsmkyd Y 7491 M | YNRQK | Target-Date 2000-2010 | −15.93 | 1.42 | 2.85 | ||
| M. Gtjx Mgbjs Jkksgpcgpf L 1797 | HFPTN | Target-Date 2015 | −16.26 | 1.84 | 3.18 | ||
| M. Rpzp Xtyds Hhfnssspxg B 8397 | SFXST | Target-Date 2020 | −16.66 | 2.23 | 3.56 | ||
| R. Mvfm Dftrn Sncmkzygyz D 5234 | MMLRQ | Target-Date 2025 | −17.65 | 2.74 | 3.94 | ||
| S. Mycm Kppjw Ldjhtrbych D 7467 HP | LQXGR | Target-Date 2030 | −19.10 | 3.00 | 4.19 | ||
| W. Nphq Tctdc Slqcskffjy Y 7598 | FXQVJ | Target-Date 2035 | −20.46 | 3.22 | 4.37 | ||
| P. Tvhd Wqwyx Cmqdxlfzqt X 6359 | HKPLH | Target-Date 2040 | −21.49 | 3.51 | 4.57 | ||
| K. Cvhq Nhrgj Ykljdxstds D 4250 PGX | KWVJN | Target-Date 2045 | −21.88 | 3.77 | 4.73 | ||
| H. Vjzx Vbmsw Dxzbycfftr J 3783 | NCCNW | Target-Date 2050 | −22.06 | 3.73 | 4.70 | ||
| K. Hmdh Jjqvs Sprmftkxxt K 5725 C | XWLWJ | Target-Date 2055 | −22.15 | 3.68 | 4.69 | ||
| G. Qnwv Hpmcs Kthhxxyybx G 9662 F | CYRXD | Target-Date 2060 | −22.08 | 3.71 | 4.69 |
List Criteria
Gold-Rated Funds
The Analyst Rating for Funds is based on our fund analysts’ conviction in a fund’s ability to outperform its peer group (funds in the same category) and benchmark on a risk-adjusted basis over the long term. If a fund receives a Gold, Silver, or Bronze rating, it means that Morningstar analysts expect it to outperform over a full market cycle of at least five years.
No-Load Funds
This list includes only no-load funds. “No load” refers to a mutual fund that does not charge a fee (known as a load) for buying or selling its shares; the investor typically buys no-load funds directly from a fund company or through a fund supermarket. Load funds, on the other hand, are sold by an advisor or broker and charge a percentage fee at purchase or sale of the shares, which is meant to be compensation for the planner’s investment-selection advice. (Note: Not all advisors sell load funds. Many are compensated via a flat fee or a percentage of all assets under management.) Whether a fund charges a load or not isn’t a reflection of its underlying quality. Many load funds are also Medalists, and some load funds are available without a load through 401(k) or other retirement plans. But we’re including only no-load funds here, since this list is designed to help investors who are primarily doing their own fund-picking.
Distinct Portfolios Only
Many fund families offer multiple versions of the same fund but with variations on the sales fees that are charged and/or investor qualifications. Screening for “distinct portfolios only” removes all but one of these options to avoid having several share classes of the same offering cluttering the list. Morningstar normally designates the oldest share class as the distinct portfolio. In some cases, this share class may be for institutions (such as company retirement funds) or otherwise have a high investment minimum. In those cases, investors may want to consider an “investor” share class of the same fund, though the fund expenses may be higher for those share classes.