IRTR vs. VBIAX
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 12.19% vs 15.45% 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
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IRTR achieves a 4.92% return, which is significantly lower than VBIAX's 5.69% return.
IRTR
- 1D
- 0.15%
- 1M
- -0.03%
- YTD
- 4.92%
- 6M
- 4.52%
- 1Y
- 12.19%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VBIAX
- 1D
- 0.17%
- 1M
- -0.63%
- YTD
- 5.69%
- 6M
- 4.80%
- 1Y
- 15.45%
- 3Y*
- 14.09%
- 5Y*
- 7.29%
- 10Y*
- 9.83%
IRTR vs. VBIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IRTR iShares LifePath Retirement ETF | 4.92% | 12.70% | 7.59% | 11.03% |
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.69% | 13.61% | 14.58% | 10.52% |
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 19, 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.
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Return for Risk
IRTR vs. VBIAX — Risk / Return Rank
IRTR
VBIAX
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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| IRTR | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.34 | +0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.54 | 2.65 | -0.11 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.97 | 11.68 | -0.71 |
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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.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IRTR | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest 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 DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.62% | -1.55% | +0.93% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.78% | -4.44% | +3.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.11% | 1.32% | -0.21% |
Volatility
IRTR vs. VBIAX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares LifePath Retirement ETF (IRTR) is 2.44%, while Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX) has a volatility of 3.33%. 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.
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Volatility by Period
| IRTR | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.44% | 3.33% | -0.89% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.29% | 6.71% | -1.42% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 6.30% | 8.38% | -2.08% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.10% | 11.13% | -4.03% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 7.10% | 11.23% | -4.13% |
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 3.00%, less than VBIAX's 5.30% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IRTR iShares LifePath Retirement ETF | 3.00% | 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 | 5.30% | 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
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.
VBIAX has higher volatility (3.33%) compared to IRTR (2.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IRTR dropped -6.29% vs VBIAX's -35.90%.
IRTR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.94 vs 1.85), 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.
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