VFORX vs. MLLIX

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

VFORX (Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund) and MLLIX (MFS Lifetime Income Fund) are both Target Retirement Date funds. Over the past 10 years, VFORX returned 10.15%/yr vs 4.87%/yr for MLLIX. Their correlation of 0.84 means they have usually moved in the same direction. VFORX charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.00%/yr for MLLIX.

Performance

VFORX vs. MLLIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund (VFORX) and MFS Lifetime Income Fund (MLLIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VFORX achieves a 8.23% return, which is significantly higher than MLLIX's 3.48% return. Over the past 10 years, VFORX has outperformed MLLIX with an annualized return of 10.15%, while MLLIX has yielded a comparatively lower 4.87% annualized return.

VFORX

• 1D: 1.58%
• 1M: -0.53%
• 6M: 5.57%
• YTD: 8.23%
• 1Y: 18.10%
• 3Y*: 14.62%
• 5Y*: 8.09%
• 10Y*: 10.15%
• ALL TIME*: 8.12%

MLLIX

• 1D: 0.32%
• 1M: -0.32%
• 6M: 2.18%
• YTD: 3.48%
• 1Y: 7.47%
• 3Y*: 7.16%
• 5Y*: 3.05%
• 10Y*: 4.87%
• ALL TIME*: 5.07%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
MLLIX MFS Lifetime Income Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VFORX Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

VFORX vs. MLLIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VFORX Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund	8.23%	18.77%	12.90%	18.56%	-17.00%	14.55%	15.48%	23.86%	-7.32%	18.45%
MLLIX MFS Lifetime Income Fund	3.48%	9.32%	5.62%	9.12%	-11.99%	6.63%	10.06%	13.91%	-2.37%	8.24%

Correlation

The correlation between VFORX and MLLIX is 0.85, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.82
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.84
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 7, 2006	0.84

The correlation between VFORX and MLLIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.85 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VFORX vs. MLLIX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

VFORX

VFORX Risk / Return Rank: 70
VFORX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
VFORX Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
VFORX Omega Ratio Rank: 68
VFORX Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
VFORX Martin Ratio Rank: 77

MLLIX

MLLIX Risk / Return Rank: 66
MLLIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
MLLIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
MLLIX Omega Ratio Rank: 69
MLLIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
MLLIX Martin Ratio Rank: 66

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

VFORX vs. MLLIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund (VFORX) and MFS Lifetime Income Fund (MLLIX). 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.

	VFORX	MLLIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.57	1.69	-0.12
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.23	2.51	-0.28
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.31	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.19	1.97	+0.21
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.06	8.67	+0.39

VFORX vs. MLLIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VFORX Sharpe Ratio is 1.57, which is comparable to the MLLIX Sharpe Ratio of 1.69. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFORX and MLLIX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

VFORX vs. MLLIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFORX drawdown since its inception was -51.63%, which is greater than MLLIX's maximum drawdown of -17.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFORX and MLLIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VFORX	MLLIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.63%	-17.32%	-34.31%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.70%	-3.86%	-3.84%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.12%	-4.93%	-7.19%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.32%	-16.08%	-8.24%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-29.35%	-16.08%	-13.27%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.71%	-0.64%	-1.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.73%	-2.14%	-4.59%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.86%	0.88%	+0.98%

Volatility

VFORX vs. MLLIX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund (VFORX) has a higher volatility of 3.18% compared to MFS Lifetime Income Fund (MLLIX) at 1.06%. This indicates that VFORX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MLLIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VFORX	MLLIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.18%	1.06%	+2.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.97%	3.66%	+5.31%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.70%	4.51%	+6.19%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.56%	5.95%	+6.61%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.62%	5.71%	+7.91%

VFORX vs. MLLIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VFORX has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than MLLIX's 0.00% 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

VFORX vs. MLLIX - Dividend Comparison

VFORX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.56%, less than MLLIX's 7.43% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MLLIX MFS Lifetime Income Fund	7.43%	6.01%	6.26%	3.70%	3.92%	6.12%	3.18%	3.80%	4.20%	3.56%	4.21%	2.51%
VFORX Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund	2.56%	2.77%	2.86%	2.38%	2.60%	20.68%	2.06%	2.28%	2.58%	0.04%	2.40%	2.99%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VFORX and MLLIX in my portfolio?

VFORX and MLLIX 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, VFORX or MLLIX?

VFORX has higher volatility (3.18%) compared to MLLIX (1.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFORX dropped -51.63% vs MLLIX's -17.32%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

MLLIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.69 vs 1.57), 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.