There is never a wrong time to invest in mutual funds for retirement. So, if you're still looking for the best mutual funds, the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank can be a great guide.

The easiest way to judge a mutual fund's quality over time is by analyzing its performance, diversification, and fees. Using the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of over 19,000 mutual funds, we've identified three outstanding mutual funds that are ideally suited to help long-term investors pursue and achieve their retirement investing goals.

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

Vanguard Growth & Income Investor (VQNPX Quick QuoteVQNPX - Free Report) has a 0.32% expense ratio and 0.31% management fee. VQNPX 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 14.72% over the last five years, this fund clearly wins.

Invesco Small Cap Value Y (VSMIX Quick QuoteVSMIX - Free Report) : 0.86% expense ratio and 0.64% management fee. VSMIX is a Small Cap Value mutual fund option, which typically invest in companies with market caps under $2 billion. With yearly returns of 16.83% over the last five years, VSMIX is an effectively diversified fund with a long reputation of solidly positive performance.

Thrivent Large Cap Value Fund A (AAUTX Quick QuoteAAUTX - Free Report) . Expense ratio: 0.85%. Management fee: 0.45%. Five year annual return: 11.3%. AAUTX 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.

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.