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.

If you are looking to diversify your portfolio, consider PGIM Jennison Small Company R (JSCRX Quick QuoteJSCRX - Free Report) . JSCRX is a Small Cap Blend mutual fund, allowing investors a way to diversify their funds among various types of small-cap stocks. This fund is a winner, boasting an expense ratio of 1.33%, management fee of 0.67%, and a five-year annualized return track record of 11.77%.

Oppenheimer Discovery Y (ODIYX Quick QuoteODIYX - Free Report) : 0.79% expense ratio and 0.6% management fee. ODIYX is one of many Small Cap Growth mutual funds; these funds tend to create their portfolios around stocks with market capitalization of less than $2 billion. With yearly returns of 12.83% over the last five years, ODIYX is an effectively diversified fund with a long reputation of solidly positive performance.

TIAA-CREF Large Cap Value Retirement (TRLCX Quick QuoteTRLCX - Free Report) is an attractive large-cap allocation. TRLCX 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. TRLCX has an expense ratio of 0.66%, management fee of 0.4%, and annual returns of 11.78% over the past five years.

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.