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3 Mutual Fund Misfires To Avoid In Your Retirement Portfolio - October 04, 2019

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Does your current advisor have your money invested in these "Mutual Fund Misfires of the Market" that charge high fees for low returns? If so, it may be time for a new advisor.

High fees coupled with poor results: It's a straightforward equation for an awful mutual fund. Some are more regrettable than others - and some are bad to the point that they have got a "Strong Sell" from our Zacks Rank, the lowest positioning of the almost 19,000 mutual funds we rank every day.

Below, you'll read about some of the funds included in our current list of "Mutual Fund Misfires of the Market." And if by chance you're invested in any of these misfires, we'll help and review some of our highest Zacks Ranked mutual funds.

3 Mutual Fund Misfires

Now, let's take a look at three market misfires.

Hartford Global Real Asset R5 (HRLTX - Free Report) : 0.95% expense ratio and 0.85% management fee. HRLTX is a Global - Equity mutual fund investing in bigger markets like the U.S., Europe, and Japan; these kinds of funds aren't limited by geography. With a five year after-costs return of -2.22%, you're for the most part paying more in charges than returns.

AB Allocation Market Real Return I (AMTIX - Free Report) : AMTIX is a part of the Allocation Balanced fund category; these funds like to invest in a variety of asset types, finding a balance between stocks, bonds, cash, and sometimes even precious metals and commodities; they are mostly categorized by their respective asset allocation. AMTIX offers an expense ratio of 0.85% and annual returns of -3.79% over the last five years. Even if this fund can be positioned as a hedge during the recent bull-market, paying more in fees than returns over the long-term should never be an acceptable result.

Alger International Growth B (AFGPX - Free Report) : Expense ratio: 1.98%. Management fee: 0.71%. AFGPX is a part of the Non US - Equity fund category, many of which will focus across all cap levels, and will typically allocate their investments between emerging and developed markets. With annual returns of just -0.66%, it's no surprise this fund has received Zacks' "Strong Sell" ranking.

3 Top Ranked Mutual Funds

Now that we've covered our "worst offender" list, let's take a look at some of Zacks' highest ranked mutual funds with some of the lowest fees you may want to consider.

MSIF Global Opportunity Portfolio L (MGGLX - Free Report) is a winner, with an expense ratio of just 1.29% and a five-year annualized return track record of 16.44%.

Janus Henderson Global Life Science T (JAGLX - Free Report) has an expense ratio of 0.92% and management fee of 0.64%. 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 annual returns of 10.79% over the last five years, this is a well-diversified fund with a long track record of success.

Matthews China Dividend Fund Institutional (MICDX - Free Report) : Expense ratio: 1.01%. Management fee: 0.66%. MICDX is a China - Equity mutual fund and their investments revolve around stocks in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. MICDX has produced a 11.23% over the last five years.

Bottom Line

These examples underscore the huge range in quality of mutual funds - from the really bad to the astonishingly good. There is no reason for your advisor to keep your money in any fund that charges more than you get in return (unless they're getting something out of it, like a high commission).

If you have concerns or any doubts about your investment advisor, read our just-released report:

4 Warning Signs That Your Advisor Might be Sabotaging Your Financial Future

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