At a glance
ITDG charges 0.12% a year, below the 0.86% average of the 7 funds most like it (the cheapest of 8). It has $57.0M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 1.42% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +13.0% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the best of those 8 funds; over three years it returned +23.1% a year.
The short version
iShares LifePath Target Date 2055 ETF (ITDG) is a BlackRock fund of funds. It holds a handful of iShares ETFs, mostly stock funds, and shifts toward bonds as 2055 gets closer. Its expense ratio is 0.12%, low for a one-fund retirement portfolio. As of July 31, 2026, it was still almost all stocks, and with about $57 million in net assets it is a small fund.
Price history
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ITDG +13.0% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDG official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | +16.58% | — | — | — | +23.13% |
| Russell1000Index index, same period | — | +24.51% | — | — | — | +29.73% |
| Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index index, same period | — | +1.25% | — | — | — | +7.99% |
| ITDG price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +12.6% | +13.0% | +23.1% | — | — | +21.6% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, ITDG returned +13.0%, 1st of 8 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+16.6%); its best was 2025 (+21.8%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 16.6% (Feb 18, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by Jun 2, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +12.6% | — |
| 2025 | +21.8% | — |
| 2024 | +16.6% | +16.58% |
| 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 | $0.6000 | +33.3% |
| 2024 | $0.4500 |
What's inside
As of Jul 31, 2026, the fund held 6 securities; the ten largest made up 99.86% of assets, and 3.53% sat in cash and money-market holdings.
| Fund held | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| ISHARES RUSSELL 1000 ETF Other | 56.19% | |
| ISHARES CORE MSCI INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPED MARKETS Other | 25.96% | |
| ISHARES CORE MSCI EMERGING MARKETS ETF Other | 11.24% | |
| ISHARES RUSSELL 2000 ETF Other | 3.26% | |
| ISHARES 10 YEAR INVESTMENT GRADE CORPORATE BOND E Other | 1.90% | |
| ISHARES CORE U S REIT ETF Other | 1.30% |
By country
United States 99.86%By asset type
Other 99.86%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jul 31, 2026, investors added a net $5.9M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +4.40%, -0.17%, -0.63%.
How it works
ITDG does not track an index. Its adviser, BlackRock Fund Advisors (BFA), sets the mix with in-house risk tools. These tools study past and forward-looking market data, including expected returns and how asset classes move together. At least 80% of assets must match a custom 2055 benchmark, which BlackRock does not publish.
The mix follows a "glide path," a set schedule that gets more conservative as retirement nears. The target is 99% stocks (including REITs, or real estate investment trusts) from 45 to 35 years out. It then falls to 98% at 30 years, 87% at 20, 65% at 10 and 40% at the target date, with the rest in bonds. Managers may adjust the mix a little for market conditions. Near 2055, the fund is expected to merge with the LifePath Retirement ETF, if the board approves.
BFA picks the underlying funds, mainly its own iShares ETFs. As of July 31, 2026, the six funds were the iShares Russell 1000 ETF (56%), Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF (26%), Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (11%), Russell 2000 ETF (3%), 10+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (2%) and Core U.S. REIT ETF (1%). The prospectus warns that using its own funds creates a possible conflict of interest.
What it really costs
- ITDG charges 0.12% 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 $12 in the first year and $154 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDG | $12 | $39 | $68 | $154 |
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 an all-in-one portfolio for people retiring around 2055, with a glide path that reduces stock exposure over time.
ITDG could serve as a whole portfolio in one ticker, with a low 0.12% expense ratio. In the SEC's standard example, that comes to $12 in the first year and $154 over 10 years on $10,000. The fund launched on October 19, 2023, so it has no record from the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns. Its worst calendar year, 2024, was still a 16.6% gain. Its deepest drop was 16.6%, from February 18 to April 8, 2025, and it recovered by June 2, 2025. Because the fund is almost all stocks for now, a longer bear market could hurt a lot more. That matters for anyone who might have to sell shares in a bad year. Income is modest: a 1.42% yield as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year. 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 planning to retire around 2055 who want one fund that moves from stocks toward bonds on a set schedule.
- Cost-conscious investors: the 0.12% expense ratio works out to $154 over 10 years on $10,000 in the SEC's standard example.
- Long-horizon investors comfortable with roughly 98% in stock funds, led by the iShares Russell 1000 ETF, as of July 31, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- People already retired or retiring soon: the fund is almost all stocks for now, and it fell 16.6% in early 2025.
- Investors seeking steady income: the yield was 1.42% as of October 27, 2026, paid only once a year.
- Anyone wary of a small, young fund: about $57 million in net assets and no history through the 2008, 2020 or 2022 downturns.
Close alternatives
Matched by other buffer (defined-outcome) funds, largest first.
| Fund | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITDG this fund | 0.12% | $57.0M | +13.0% | +23.1% |
| 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 ITDG good for retirement savings?
It is designed as a complete retirement portfolio for people who expect to retire or start withdrawals around 2055. It holds a mix of iShares stock and bond ETFs and becomes more conservative over time. It charges 0.12% a year. The prospectus says the fund does not guarantee enough growth to provide adequate retirement income. How well it works depends on how much you invest and for how long.
What does ITDG invest in?
ITDG invests in other iShares ETFs, not individual stocks and bonds. As of July 31, 2026, its holdings were the iShares Russell 1000 ETF (56%), Core MSCI International Developed Markets ETF (26%), Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (11%), Russell 2000 ETF (3%), 10+ Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (2%) and Core U.S. REIT ETF (1%). Through them, it owns large and small US companies, foreign stocks, corporate bonds and real estate.
What is ITDG's expense ratio?
ITDG's expense ratio is 0.12%, according to its prospectus filed November 21, 2025, and its management fee is 0%. In the SEC's standard example ($10,000 invested, 5% yearly return), costs are $12 after one year, $68 after five and $154 after 10. Some buffer ETFs it gets grouped with charge 0.79% to 0.95%. Those funds use options to limit losses, though, so they follow a different strategy.
Does ITDG pay dividends?
Yes, but only once a year. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid about $0.60 per share, a yield of 1.42%. The payout comes from the dividends and interest of its underlying ETFs. Because the fund is mostly stocks for now, its yield is low. Investors looking for regular monthly or quarterly income may find it a poor fit.
What happens to ITDG when it reaches 2055?
As 2055 nears, ITDG's mix moves to 40% stocks and 60% bonds, following its glide path. In the final year before its target date, its holdings should look like those of the iShares LifePath Retirement ETF. The two funds are then expected to merge into one, if the board approves. Shareholders would end up in a conservative fund built for people already drawing on their savings.