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 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.

If you are looking to diversify your portfolio, consider Fidelity Advisor Global Commodity Stock I (FFGIX Quick QuoteFFGIX - Free Report) . FFGIX is a Global - Equity mutual fund, which invests their assets in large markets, leveraging the global economy. This fund is a winner, boasting an expense ratio of 0.89%, management fee of 0.86%, and a five-year annualized return track record of 16.02%.

Nuveen Multi-Cap Value A (NQVAX): 1.07% expense ratio and 0.69% management fee. NQVAX is a Large Cap Value fund. These funds invest in stocks with a market cap of $10 billion of more, but whose share prices do not reflect their intrinsic value. With yearly returns of 12.25% over the last five years, NQVAX is an effectively diversified fund with a long reputation of solidly positive performance.

JPMorgan Developed Intl Value A (JFEAX): 0.99% expense ratio and 0.55% management fee. JFEAX is a Non US - Equity fund. Many of these funds like to allocate across emerging and developed markets, and will often focus on all cap levels. With a five-year annual return of 14.83%, this fund is a well-diversified fund with a long track record of success.

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.