Lifecycle fund

A lifecycle fund, which is a fund of funds, invests in individual mutual funds that a fund company puts together to help investors meet their objectives without having to select individual funds.

Some companies offer a set of lifecycle funds, each with a different level of risk and return, from conservative to aggressive. In that case, you may choose a lifecycle that's appropriate for reaching your goals within the time frame you've allowed.

The typical pattern is for younger investors to choose a more aggressive lifecycle fund and those nearing retirement to choose a more conservative fund.

With target date funds, which are a type of lifecycle fund, you choose a target retirement year, and the fund manager invests and reallocates your money more and more conservatively as you near retirement.