A well-planned retirement portfolio should ideally be built around several different income buckets. When combined, those sources aim to produce a sustainable withdrawal rate that supports ongoing living expenses without exhausting savings.
For investment assets, whether held in a workplace 401(k) plan or a self-directed Roth IRA, the outcome often comes down to fund selection. Employer-sponsored plans typically offer a limited menu of mutual funds. Self-directed accounts provide access to a broader range of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), giving investors more flexibility in how they shape risk and income.
Many retirement-focused portfolios lean toward higher allocations to high-quality government and investment-grade corporate bonds, lower-volatility stocks or dividend-paying equities. Even within these categories, however, there is wide variation. Some funds are better constructed, lower cost or more consistent income generators than others.
Here are seven of the best funds for retirement today.
This post originally appeared at U.S. News & World Report.