IRTR vs. VBIAX

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IRTR (Ishares Lifepath Retirement ETF) and VBIAX (Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both funds - IRTR is a Target Retirement Date fund actively managed by iShares, while VBIAX is a Diversified Portfolio fund tracking the 60% CRSP US Total Market Index / 40% Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. IRTR is actively managed, while VBIAX is passively managed. Over the past year, IRTR returned 13.84% vs 18.45% for VBIAX. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IRTR charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VBIAX.

Performance

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Ishares Lifepath Retirement ETF (IRTR) and Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IRTR achieves a 5.36% return, which is significantly lower than VBIAX's 6.79% return.

IRTR

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: 1.82%
• YTD: 5.36%
• 6M: 5.66%
• 1Y: 13.84%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

VBIAX

• 1D: -0.53%
• 1M: 2.54%
• YTD: 6.79%
• 6M: 6.67%
• 1Y: 18.45%
• 3Y*: 14.83%
• 5Y*: 7.75%
• 10Y*: 9.78%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
IRTR Ishares Lifepath Retirement ETF	5.36%	12.70%	7.59%	10.63%
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares	6.79%	13.61%	14.58%	11.33%

Correlation

The correlation between IRTR and VBIAX is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 20, 2023	0.91

The correlation between IRTR and VBIAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.91 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IRTR	VBIAX
Technology	26.8%	33.5%
Financial Services	15.0%	12.0%
Industrials	12.6%	9.8%
Consumer Cyclical	9.0%	10.0%
Communication Services	8.0%	10.3%
Healthcare	7.7%	9.2%
Energy	4.9%	3.7%
Consumer Defensive	4.6%	4.7%
Utilities	4.3%	2.3%
Basic Materials	3.8%	2.0%
Real Estate	3.5%	2.4%

Return for Risk

IRTR vs. VBIAX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IRTR

IRTR Risk / Return Rank: 70
IRTR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
IRTR Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
IRTR Omega Ratio Rank: 76
IRTR Calmar Ratio Rank: 59
IRTR Martin Ratio Rank: 69

VBIAX

VBIAX Risk / Return Rank: 68
VBIAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
VBIAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
VBIAX Omega Ratio Rank: 62
VBIAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
VBIAX Martin Ratio Rank: 79

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ishares Lifepath Retirement ETF (IRTR) and Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	IRTR	VBIAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.32	2.38	-0.05
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.37	3.39	-0.02
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.44	+0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.88	3.23	-0.34
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.70	14.71	-2.02
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IRTR Sharpe Ratio is 2.32, which is comparable to the VBIAX Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IRTR and VBIAX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IRTR	VBIAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.32	2.38	-0.05
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.70	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	2.02	0.64	+1.38

Drawdowns

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IRTR drawdown since its inception was -6.29%, smaller than the maximum VBIAX drawdown of -35.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IRTR and VBIAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	IRTR	VBIAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-6.29%	-35.90%	+29.61%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.82%	-5.83%	+1.01%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-11.70%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-21.53%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-22.78%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.20%	-0.53%	+0.33%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.78%	-4.44%	+3.66%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.09%	1.27%	-0.18%

Volatility

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Ishares Lifepath Retirement ETF (IRTR) is 2.12%, while Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX) has a volatility of 2.31%. This indicates that IRTR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VBIAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IRTR	VBIAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.12%	2.31%	-0.19%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.85%	6.11%	-1.26%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.00%	7.92%	-1.92%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.03%	11.05%	-4.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.03%	11.21%	-4.18%

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

IRTR has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than VBIAX's 0.07% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

IRTR vs. VBIAX - Dividend Comparison

IRTR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.99%, less than VBIAX's 5.24% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IRTR Ishares Lifepath Retirement ETF	2.99%	3.03%	3.03%	0.85%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares	5.24%	6.00%	5.27%	4.35%	2.83%	3.19%	2.65%	2.28%	2.32%	1.95%	2.09%	2.09%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IRTR and VBIAX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.92, IRTR and VBIAX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which is riskier, IRTR or VBIAX?

VBIAX has higher volatility (2.31%) compared to IRTR (2.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IRTR dropped -6.29% vs VBIAX's -35.90%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VBIAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 2.32), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.