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.

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

JPMorgan Developed Intl Value C (JIUCX): 1.49% expense ratio and 0.55% management fee. JIUCX is a Non US - Equity option, focusing their investments acoss emerging and developed markets, and can often extend across cap levels too. JIUCX has achieved five-year annual returns of an astounding 17.31%.

Franklin Gold & Prec Metals R6 (FGPMX): 0.54% expense ratio and 0.48% management fee. Sector - Precious Metal funds like FGPMX normally invest in stocks focused on the mining and production of precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. FGPMX, with annual returns of 25.88% over the last five years, is a well-diversified fund with a long track record of success.

American Beacon BW Large Cap Value A (BWLAX Quick QuoteBWLAX - Free Report) . Expense ratio: 1.1%. Management fee: 0.63%. Five year annual return: 13.08%. BWLAX is a Large Cap Value mutual fund, which invests in stocks with a market cap of $10 billion of more, but whose share prices do not reflect their intrinsic value.

We hope that your investment advisor (if you use one) has you invested in one or all of the top-ranked mutual funds we've reviewed. But if that isn't the case, it might be time to have a conversation or reconsider this vitally important relationship.