At a glance
ITDB charges 0.09% a year, below the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the cheapest of 8). It has $75.8M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 1.91% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +6.3% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the weakest of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +14.8% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 95.7% of the fund, out of 13 in all.
The short version
iShares LifePath Target Date 2030 ETF (ITDB) is a fund of funds. Instead of buying stocks and bonds directly, it holds about 13 other iShares ETFs covering US and international stocks and US bonds, and it moves toward bonds as 2030 nears. It is built for people expecting to retire or start withdrawals around 2030. Its 0.09% expense ratio is low, but it is small, with about $75.8 million in assets as of July 31, 2026.
Price history
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ITDB +6.3% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDB official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +9.79% | — | — | — | +16.74% |
| Russell1000Index index, same period | — | +24.51% | — | — | — | +29.73% |
| Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index index, same period | — | +1.25% | — | — | — | +7.99% |
| ITDB price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +6.3% | +6.3% | +14.8% | — | — | +14.2% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ITDB returned +6.3%, 8th of 8 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+9.7%); its best was 2025 (+14.6%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 8.4% (Feb 14, 2025 to Apr 7, 2025), recovered by May 15, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +6.3% | — |
| 2025 | +14.6% | — |
| 2024 | +9.7% | +9.79% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0.6700 | +15.5% |
| 2024 | $0.5800 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 13 securities; the ten largest made up 95.69% of assets, and 2.24% sat in cash and money-market holdings.
| Fund held | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| ISHARES RUSSELL 1000 ETF Other | 31.08% | |
| ISHARES US TREASURY BOND ETF Other | 13.22% | |
| ISHARES CORE MSCI INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPED MARKETS Other | 12.79% | |
| ISHARES MBS ETF Other | 9.73% | |
| ISHARES 0 5 YEAR TIPS BOND ETF Other | 8.26% | |
| ISHARES CORE MSCI EMERGING MARKETS ETF Other | 5.59% | |
| ISHARES TRUST ISHARES 1 5 YEAR INVESTMENT GRADE CO Other | 5.02% | |
| ISHARES 10 20 YEAR TREASURY BOND ETF Other | 4.12% | |
| ISHARES 5 10 YEAR INVESTMENT GRADE CORPORATE BOND Other | 3.37% | |
| ISHARES 10 YEAR INVESTMENT GRADE CORPORATE BOND E Other | 2.49% | |
| ISHARES GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE ETF Other | 1.73% | |
| ISHARES CORE U S REIT ETF Other | 1.69% | |
| ISHARES RUSSELL 2000 ETF Other | 0.70% |
By country
United States 99.8%By asset type
Other 99.8%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $2.1M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +2.34%, 0.00%, -0.79%.
How it works
ITDB does not track a published index. Instead, BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA) spreads the fund's money across affiliated iShares ETFs, which the prospectus calls underlying funds. BFA sets the mix with its own risk tools. These weigh historical and forward-looking data on risk, expected returns and how asset classes move together. At least 80% of assets must match a custom benchmark that BFA does not publish.
The mix follows a glide path, a preset schedule that cuts stock exposure as the target date gets closer. Stocks, including REITs, make up 65% of the target mix at 10 years out, 53% at five years out, and 40% at the target date, with 60% in bonds. As of July 31, 2025, the fund held about 51% in stock funds and 46% in bond funds, with the rest in money market funds. Managers may lean away from the path when markets shift, though the prospectus says such moves are generally limited.
As of July 31, 2026, the largest holdings were the iShares Russell 1000 ETF (31.1%), iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (13.2%), iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF (12.8%), iShares MBS ETF (9.7%) and iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF (8.3%). Turnover was 24%. Near its target date, the fund is expected to look like the LifePath Retirement fund and then merge into it if the board approves. Because BFA picks from its own funds, the prospectus flags a possible conflict of interest.
What it really costs
- ITDB charges 0.09% a year, versus an average of 0.86% for the similar funds below (1st of 8, cheapest first).
- Of that, 0% is the management fee; the rest covers other fund expenses.
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $9 in the first year and $115 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDB | $9 | $29 | $51 | $115 |
Structure and tax notes
- Invests in other funds rather than directly in stocks or bonds, so its holdings are those funds.
In a retirement portfolio
It packages a full stock-and-bond mix that grows more conservative on a set schedule for people retiring around 2030.
ITDB launched in October 2023, so it was not around for the 2008, 2020 or 2022 sell-offs. Its weakest calendar year so far, 2024, still returned 9.8%, according to the prospectus. Its deepest drop was 8.4%, from February 14 to April 7, 2025, and it had fully recovered by May 15, 2025. With about half its assets in bond funds, it has not yet faced a long stock slide or a 2022-style bond slump. Either would be a harder test for anyone who has to sell shares in a bad year. The yield was 1.91% as of October 27, 2026, and the fund pays once a year, so income is modest and infrequent. Costs are low: $9 in the first year and $115 over 10 years on $10,000, using the SEC's standard example. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Savers expecting to retire or begin withdrawals around 2030 who want one fund that shifts to about 40% stocks and 60% bonds by then.
- Cost-conscious investors: the 0.09% expense ratio comes to $115 over 10 years on $10,000 in the SEC's standard example.
- Investors happy to let BlackRock rebalance across 13 iShares funds covering US, developed and emerging-market stocks, Treasuries, mortgage bonds and TIPS.
Look elsewhere if
- People retiring well before or after 2030, since the glide path is timed to that date and the fund is expected to merge afterward.
- Investors needing regular income: the 1.91% yield, as of October 27, 2026, is paid once a year, not monthly or quarterly.
- Those who want a long record or a large fund. ITDB launched in October 2023 and held about $75.8 million as of July 31, 2026.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDB this fund | 0.09% | $75.8M | +6.3% | +14.8% |
| BUFR FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF | 0.95% | $10.49B | +11.6% | +16.8% |
| BUFD FT Vest Laddered Deep Buffer ETF | 0.95% | $2.04B | +9.5% | +13.9% |
| PJAN Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - Ja… | 0.79% | $1.44B | +10.5% | +14.8% |
| PDEC Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF - De… | 0.79% | $984.1M | +11.6% | +14.9% |
| FDEC FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF - December | 0.85% | $1.31B | +12.9% | +18.5% |
| FJAN FT Vest US Equity Buffer ETF - January | 0.85% | $1.47B | +12.3% | +17.4% |
| FFEB FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer Fund - February | 0.85% | $1.42B | +12.9% | +18.6% |
Questions investors ask
Is ITDB good for retirement?
ITDB is built for people planning to retire or start withdrawals around 2030. It holds a ready-made mix of iShares stock and bond ETFs that gets more conservative over time, reaching about 40% stocks and 60% bonds at the target date. Its expense ratio is 0.09%. The drawbacks: it launched in October 2023, so it has never been through a major bear market, and it pays income only once a year.
Does ITDB pay dividends?
Yes, once a year. In the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid about $0.67 per share, a trailing yield of 1.91%. That income comes from the stock and bond funds it holds. People who rely on steady cash flow may find a single yearly payment hard to budget around. They may need cash or other income sources to cover the months in between.
What does ITDB hold?
ITDB holds other iShares ETFs rather than individual stocks and bonds. As of July 31, 2026, its 13 underlying funds were led by the iShares Russell 1000 ETF (31.1%), iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (13.2%), iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF (12.8%), iShares MBS ETF (9.7%) and iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF (8.3%). Smaller stakes cover emerging markets, corporate bonds, REITs, infrastructure and small US companies.
What happens to ITDB after 2030?
It is not expected to keep running on its own for long. The prospectus says that in the year before its target date, the fund's mix should look like the LifePath Retirement fund's. The two are then expected to merge, subject to approval by the trust's board. At the target date, the glide path calls for about 40% stocks and 60% bonds. The fund does not guarantee enough growth to cover retirement expenses.
How does ITDB compare with buffer ETFs like BUFR?
They work very differently, so they are not close substitutes. ITDB spreads money across stock and bond funds on a glide path. Buffer, or defined-outcome, funds like FT Vest Laddered Buffer ETF (BUFR) use options to soften part of a stock-market loss in exchange for capping gains. ITDB's expense ratio is 0.09%, against 0.95% for BUFR. As of October 27, 2026, BUFR returned 11.6% over one year and 16.8% a year over three years. ITDB returned 6.3% and 14.8%.