TLYIX vs. FFFAX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

TLYIX (TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2035 Fund) and FFFAX (Fidelity Freedom Income Fund) are both Target Retirement Date funds. Over the past 10 years, TLYIX returned 10.02%/yr vs 4.54%/yr for FFFAX. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. TLYIX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.47%/yr for FFFAX.

Performance

TLYIX vs. FFFAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2035 Fund (TLYIX) and Fidelity Freedom Income Fund (FFFAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TLYIX achieves a 8.94% return, which is significantly higher than FFFAX's 4.96% return. Over the past 10 years, TLYIX has outperformed FFFAX with an annualized return of 10.02%, while FFFAX has yielded a comparatively lower 4.54% annualized return.

TLYIX

• 1D: 0.27%
• 1M: 4.05%
• YTD: 8.94%
• 6M: 9.41%
• 1Y: 21.40%
• 3Y*: 15.60%
• 5Y*: 8.07%
• 10Y*: 10.02%

FFFAX

• 1D: 0.26%
• 1M: 1.73%
• YTD: 4.96%
• 6M: 5.27%
• 1Y: 11.56%
• 3Y*: 8.09%
• 5Y*: 3.27%
• 10Y*: 4.54%

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

TLYIX vs. FFFAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TLYIX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2035 Fund	8.94%	17.02%	11.83%	17.24%	-16.30%	13.19%	15.53%	23.03%	-5.76%	16.49%
FFFAX Fidelity Freedom Income Fund	4.96%	10.42%	4.34%	8.18%	-11.33%	3.12%	8.93%	10.74%	-1.99%	8.21%

Correlation

The correlation between TLYIX and FFFAX is 0.85, 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	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.80
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.77
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.76
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 2, 2009	0.80

The correlation between TLYIX and FFFAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.76 to 0.85 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

TLYIX vs. FFFAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

TLYIX

TLYIX Risk / Return Rank: 72
TLYIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
TLYIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
TLYIX Omega Ratio Rank: 71
TLYIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
TLYIX Martin Ratio Rank: 74

FFFAX

FFFAX Risk / Return Rank: 76
FFFAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
FFFAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
FFFAX Omega Ratio Rank: 80
FFFAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
FFFAX Martin Ratio Rank: 74

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.

TLYIX vs. FFFAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2035 Fund (TLYIX) and Fidelity Freedom Income Fund (FFFAX). 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.

	TLYIX	FFFAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.51	2.57	-0.06
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.55	3.76	-0.21
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.52	-0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.20	3.19	+0.01
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	14.09	14.02	+0.07
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TLYIX vs. FFFAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TLYIX Sharpe Ratio is 2.51, which is comparable to the FFFAX Sharpe Ratio of 2.57. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TLYIX and FFFAX, 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

	TLYIX	FFFAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.51	2.57	-0.06
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71	0.61	+0.10
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.81	0.98	-0.18
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.75	1.05	-0.30

Drawdowns

TLYIX vs. FFFAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TLYIX drawdown since its inception was -26.39%, which is greater than FFFAX's maximum drawdown of -17.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TLYIX and FFFAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	TLYIX	FFFAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.39%	-17.96%	-8.43%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.82%	-3.68%	-3.14%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.90%	-4.91%	-5.99%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.24%	-15.87%	-7.37%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-26.39%	-15.87%	-10.52%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.80%	-1.79%	-2.01%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.54%	0.83%	+0.71%

Volatility

TLYIX vs. FFFAX - Volatility Comparison

TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2035 Fund (TLYIX) has a higher volatility of 2.76% compared to Fidelity Freedom Income Fund (FFFAX) at 1.86%. This indicates that TLYIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FFFAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TLYIX	FFFAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.76%	1.86%	+0.90%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.00%	3.87%	+3.13%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.69%	4.57%	+4.12%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.47%	5.37%	+6.10%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.47%	4.64%	+7.83%

TLYIX vs. FFFAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

TLYIX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than FFFAX's 0.47% expense ratio.

Dividends

TLYIX vs. FFFAX - Dividend Comparison

TLYIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.39%, more than FFFAX's 2.97% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FFFAX Fidelity Freedom Income Fund	2.97%	3.29%	3.13%	2.92%	5.89%	6.12%	4.37%	3.65%	5.17%	3.74%	3.21%	3.28%
TLYIX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle Index 2035 Fund	3.39%	3.70%	3.09%	2.19%	2.70%	2.89%	2.03%	2.26%	2.73%	0.15%	2.56%	0.27%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TLYIX and FFFAX in my portfolio?

TLYIX and FFFAX have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TLYIX or FFFAX?

TLYIX has higher volatility (2.76%) compared to FFFAX (1.86%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TLYIX dropped -26.39% vs FFFAX's -17.96%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FFFAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.57 vs 2.51), 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.