Investing in mutual funds for retirement is never too late. And the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank can be an excellent tool for investors looking to invest in the best funds.

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.

Janus Henderson Global Life Science T (JAGLX Quick QuoteJAGLX - Free Report) has a 0.91% expense ratio and 0.64% management fee. JAGLX is part of the Sector - Health category, offering investors a focus on the healthcare industry, one of the largest sectors in the American economy. With yearly returns of 6.07% over the last five years, this fund clearly wins.

North Square Spectrum Alpha A (ORIGX). Expense ratio: 0.94%. Management fee: 0.2%. ORIGX is a Small Cap Growth mutual fund and tends to feature small companies in up-and-coming industries and markets. This fund has managed to produce a robust 8.19% over the last five years.

Segall Bryant & Hamill Emerging Markets I (SBEMX): 1.23% expense ratio and 0.9% management fee. SBEMX is a Non US - Equity option, focusing their investments acoss emerging and developed markets, and can often extend across cap levels too. The fund is mainly invested in equities, has a long reputation of salutary performance, and has yearly returns of 11.94% over the last five years.

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.