It is never too late to invest in mutual funds for retirement. As such, if you plan to invest in some of the best funds, the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank can provide you with valuable guidance.

The easiest, most reliable way to judge a mutual fund's quality over time is by analyzing its performance, diversification, and fees. The Zacks Mutual Fund Rank, which covers over 19,000 mutual funds, has helped us identify three outstanding options that are perfect for any long-term investors' portfolios that is retirement-focused.

Here are the funds that have achieved the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and have low fees.

Eaton Vance Atlanta Cap Focus Growth A (EAALX Quick QuoteEAALX - Free Report) : 1.04% expense ratio and 0.65% management fee. EAALX is a Large Cap Growth option; these mutual funds purchase stakes in numerous large U.S. companies that are expected to develop and grow at a faster rate than other large-cap stocks. EAALX has achieved five-year annual returns of an astounding 14.52%.

Columbia Dividend Income Fund Class I (GSFTX Quick QuoteGSFTX - Free Report) is a stand out amongst its peers. GSFTX is a part of the Large Cap Value category, and invests in equities with a market capitalization of $10 billion or more, but whose share prices do not reflect their intrinsic value. With five-year annualized performance of 9.54%, expense ratio of 0.65% and management fee of 0.53%, this diversified fund is an attractive buy with a strong history of performance.

T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Fund (PRWCX Quick QuotePRWCX - Free Report) is an attractive large-cap allocation. PRWCX is categorized as an All Cap Value fund, and like the name suggests, invests across the cap spectrum in small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap companies. PRWCX has an expense ratio of 0.71%, management fee of 0.59%, and annual returns of 10.33% over the past five years.

There you have it. If your financial advisor had you put your money into any of our top-ranked funds, then they've got you covered. If not, you may need to talk.