At a glance
ITDF charges 0.11% a year, below the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the cheapest of 8). It has $84.0M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 1.47% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +12.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 4th of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +22.3% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 99.6% of the fund, out of 11 in all.
The short version
iShares LifePath Target Date 2050 ETF (ITDF) is a BlackRock fund of funds: it owns about a dozen other iShares ETFs and moves from stocks toward bonds as 2050 approaches. The iShares Russell 1000 ETF made up about 53% of assets as of July 31, 2026. Its 0.11% expense ratio is low for an all-in-one portfolio. But with about $84 million in assets, it is small and young.
Price history
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ITDF +12.1% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDF official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +16.06% | — | — | — | +22.76% |
| Russell1000Index index, same period | — | +24.51% | — | — | — | +29.73% |
| Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index index, same period | — | +1.25% | — | — | — | +7.99% |
| ITDF price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +12.0% | +12.1% | +22.3% | — | — | +20.9% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ITDF returned +12.1%, 4th of 8 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+16.1%); its best was 2025 (+20.8%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 15.7% (Feb 18, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by May 19, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +11.9% | — |
| 2025 | +20.8% | — |
| 2024 | +16.1% | +16.06% |
| 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 | $0.6100 | +24.5% |
| 2024 | $0.4900 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 11 securities; the ten largest made up 99.56% of assets, and 4.82% sat in cash and money-market holdings.
| Fund held | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| ISHARES RUSSELL 1000 ETF Other | 53.09% | |
| ISHARES CORE MSCI INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPED MARKETS Other | 24.51% | |
| ISHARES CORE MSCI EMERGING MARKETS ETF Other | 10.66% | |
| ISHARES 10 YEAR INVESTMENT GRADE CORPORATE BOND E Other | 3.85% | |
| ISHARES RUSSELL 2000 ETF Other | 3.01% | |
| ISHARES CORE U S REIT ETF Other | 2.68% | |
| ISHARES MBS ETF Other | 0.53% | |
| ISHARES 10 20 YEAR TREASURY BOND ETF Other | 0.48% | |
| ISHARES TRUST ISHARES 1 5 YEAR INVESTMENT GRADE CO Other | 0.42% | |
| ISHARES US TREASURY BOND ETF Other | 0.33% | |
| ISHARES 5 10 YEAR INVESTMENT GRADE CORPORATE BOND Other | 0.27% |
By country
United States 99.83%By asset type
Other 99.83%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $13.9M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +4.19%, -0.10%, -0.68%.
How it works
ITDF does not track a published index. Its adviser, BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA), uses its own risk models to decide how much goes into stocks, bonds and cash. These models look at past and expected returns, risk, and how asset classes move together (their correlations). At least 80% of assets go into holdings that match an internal yardstick, the 2050 Target Date Custom Benchmark, which BlackRock does not publish. The fund invests mainly in other iShares ETFs. BFA picks them based on factors such as past risk and performance, and it can swap them at its discretion.
The mix follows a "glide path," a preset schedule that turns more conservative over time. The target is 99% stocks (including real estate funds) at 35 years or more before retirement, 95% at 25 years, 87% at 20 years and 65% at 10 years. At the target date it reaches 40% stocks and 60% bonds. Managers may make limited adjustments based on market conditions. Near 2050 the fund is expected to look like the LifePath Retirement fund, and it may merge into that fund if the board approves.
As of July 31, 2026, the biggest holdings were the iShares Russell 1000 ETF (53.1%), the Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF (24.5%) and the Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (10.7%). Smaller amounts went to Russell 2000, REIT and bond ETFs. Portfolio turnover was 17%.
What it really costs
- ITDF charges 0.11% 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 $11 in the first year and $141 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDF | $11 | $35 | $62 | $141 |
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 is built as a complete, self-adjusting portfolio for people planning to retire around 2050, not as a narrow piece of a larger mix.
ITDF launched in October 2023, so it has no record from the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns. Its deepest drop was 15.7%, from February 18 to April 8, 2025. It recovered by May 19, 2025, about 1.3 months later. Both of its full calendar years were gains: 16.1% in 2024 and 20.8% in 2025. That short, mostly rising history does not show how it behaves in a long bear market. With nearly all its assets in stock funds for now, anyone forced to sell in a bad year would feel most of a stock-market decline. It is not built for income: the trailing 12-month yield was 1.47% as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year. Costs are low: about $11 in the first year on $10,000 under the SEC's standard example. Past results don't predict future ones, and any plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Savers aiming to retire around 2050 who want one fund that shifts automatically from about 99% stocks toward 40% stocks by the target date.
- Cost-conscious investors: the 0.11% expense ratio works out to about $141 over 10 years on $10,000 in the SEC's standard example.
- Long-horizon investors comfortable with stock-heavy exposure, including roughly a quarter in developed international and a tenth in emerging-market stock funds as of July 31, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Retirees who need steady income: the trailing 12-month yield was 1.47% as of October 27, 2026, and it pays only once a year.
- Investors who want a published, rules-based index: BlackRock does not publish the custom benchmark and can change the underlying funds at its discretion.
- Those wary of small, young funds: net assets were about $84 million as of July 31, 2026, with no bear-market record since its October 2023 launch.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDF this fund | 0.11% | $84.0M | +12.1% | +22.3% |
| 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 ITDF good for retirement?
It is built for people who expect to retire or start withdrawing money around 2050. It holds a mix of iShares stock and bond ETFs that grows more conservative over time, ending at 40% stocks and 60% bonds by the target date. For now it is almost entirely stocks, so it can fall sharply. In 2024 it returned 16.06%, compared with 24.51% for the Russell 1000 Index. Its fit depends on your timeline and the rest of your holdings.
What does ITDF hold?
ITDF holds other iShares ETFs, not individual stocks or bonds. As of July 31, 2026, the iShares Russell 1000 ETF was 53.1% of assets. The iShares Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF was 24.5% and the Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF was 10.7%. Smaller positions included the Russell 2000 ETF (3.0%), the Core U.S. REIT ETF (2.7%) and several Treasury and corporate bond ETFs. Its 10 largest holdings made up 99.56% of the fund.
What is the expense ratio of ITDF?
ITDF's expense ratio is 0.11%, according to its prospectus filed November 21, 2025. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested, a 5% yearly return and a sale at the end of each period. On that basis, total costs would be about $11 after one year, $35 after three, $62 after five and $141 after ten. The fund's own management fee is listed as 0%.
Does ITDF pay dividends?
Yes, but only once a year. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $0.61 per share, a yield of 1.47%. That income comes from the stock and bond ETFs it owns. With most of its assets in stock funds, the payout is modest. It may suit growth-focused savers more than retirees who need regular cash.
ITDF vs BUFR: what's the difference?
They follow different strategies, so BUFR is not a close substitute. BUFR, from FT Vest, is a buffer fund. Buffer funds use options to limit some losses in exchange for capping gains. ITDF is a target-date fund that shifts from stocks to bonds over time. ITDF costs 0.11% a year versus BUFR's 0.95%. As of October 27, 2026, ITDF's one-year return was 12.1% versus BUFR's 11.6%. BUFR is much larger, with about $10.5 billion in net assets.