The funds in our "Magnificent Retirement Mutual Funds" list are among the best managed and best performing mutual funds available. If you are just finding out about our Top-Ranked Funds list, we welcome you!

How can you tell a good mutual fund from a bad one? It's pretty basic: if the fund is diversified, has low fees, and shows strong performance, it's a keeper. Of course, there's a wide range, but using our Zacks Rank, we've found three mutual funds that would be great additions to any long-term retirement investors' portfolios.

Let's break down some of the mutual funds with the highest Zacks Rank and the lowest fees.

MSIF International Opportunities I (MIOIX Quick QuoteMIOIX - Free Report) : 0.99% expense ratio and 0.78% management fee. MIOIX is a Global - Equity mutual fund. These funds invest in large markets like the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and operate with very few geographical limitations. With annual returns of 15.22% over the last five years, this fund is a winner.

Hartford Core Equity Institutional (HGIIX Quick QuoteHGIIX - Free Report) : 0.45% expense ratio and 0.34% management fee. HGIIX is part of the Large Cap Blend section, and these mutual funds most often invest in firms with a market capitalization of $10 billion or more. By investing in bigger companies, these funds offer more stability, and are often well-suited for investors with a "buy and hold" mindset. With yearly returns of 10.7% over the last five years, HGIIX is an effectively diversified fund with a long reputation of solidly positive performance.

VALIC Company I Large Cap Growth Fund (VLCGX Quick QuoteVLCGX - Free Report) : 0.75% expense ratio and 0.64% management fee. VLCGX is a Large Cap Growth mutual fund, and these funds invest in many large U.S. firms that are projected to grow at a faster rate than their large-cap peers. The fund is mainly invested in equities, has a long reputation of salutary performance, and has yearly returns of 12.6% over the last five years.

So, there you have it - if your advisor has you invested in any of our "Magnificent Retirement Mutual Funds," they are certainly earning their keep. If not, you may want to look elsewhere.

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