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.

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

Fidelity Advisor Materials I (FMFEX Quick QuoteFMFEX - Free Report) has a 0.75% expense ratio and 0.53% management fee. FMFEX is a Sector - Energy mutual fund, which encompasses a wide range of vastly changing and vitally important industries throughout this massive global sector. With yearly returns of 11.4% over the last five years, this fund clearly wins.

Neuberger Berman Genesis Institutional (NBGIX Quick QuoteNBGIX - Free Report) is a stand out amongst its peers. NBGIX is a Small Cap Value mutual fund option, which typically invest in companies with market caps under $2 billion. With five-year annualized performance of 10.52%, expense ratio of 0.84% and management fee of 0.81%, this diversified fund is an attractive buy with a strong history of performance.

BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Growth R (BMCRX Quick QuoteBMCRX - Free Report) . Expense ratio: 1.12%. Management fee: 0.57%. Five year annual return: 15.79%. BMCRX is a part of the Large Cap Growth mutual fund category, which invest in many large U.S. companies that are expected to grow much faster compared to other large-cap stocks.

These examples highlight the fact that there are some astonishingly good mutual funds out there. If your advisor has you in the good ones, bravo! If not, you may need to have a talk.