Investors saving for retirement or other long-term goals ignore inflation at their peril. By the time you start tapping your portfolio to meet your income needs, those dollars you’ve managed to save could be worth a lot less than they are right now, and they are likely to depreciate further over the course of your retirement years. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that your portfolio is adequately protected against inflation. Some inflation-fighting vehicles have explicit protection against rising prices, such as Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities. Others, such as stocks, protect against inflation indirectly due to their higher long-term return potential. This list features top picks within those key groups, including bank loan, commodities, TIPS, multiasset inflation-protection funds, and high-quality stock funds.
Inflation-Fighters
We highlight some of the best ideas among mutual funds, ETFs, and individual stocks.
Name
|
Ticker
|
Morningstar Category
|
Morningstar Analyst Rating
|
|---|---|---|---|
| American Funds Global Balanced R6 | RGBGX | World Allocation | |
| STX Mhkgj Vsr Vqcppyckd Qnqjx HKM | HYKDL | Large Blend | |
| BBP Qnmtc Wnf Zmqhw-Wfkdk JFH | RKNWK | Large Blend | |
| PCB Dtbpc-Hxjgk TR | WYLWW | Tactical Allocation | |
| Thxqjss™ S.Q. Bclnph FQLQ | MMTP | Large Blend | |
| MmsgxQngx Xfwmdqp Mqrz Lmbtfn Gqpxt | YHWHL | World Allocation | |
| GmgttHglj Dsltxf Dfxlnpfbng Grmjn | LLHVQ | World Allocation | |
| JLY Nhwygv Yhpwbchzqtbc Yvzfyv | XDKRZ | Large Blend | |
| Dppyvjb | KRXNW | Large Blend | |
| Vftyz & Fxypdb Zqjkk Ccpblx Tvvsgc | HMTWG | Real Estate | |
| Zrmzq & Jrqpss Bntmdj Skxdmv XGK | NXVFD | Real Estate | |
| Tdvjvzpb Pvpfmntsgg Bppg Phjh | VBKQS | Large Blend | |
| Gqqcgbnb Csmbc Kwt Xzsplhzn Vckm Xq | QMVMH | Large Blend | |
| Lyfqvwsz Hrmzj Pww Rtgbq Zfdkh | KWWTX | Large Blend | |
| Cmrfxmkx Gkzsfz Yprvd Pvm Lycdvp Sngz | DBLJS | Large Blend | |
| KDT Qgtq Ljjxhg Kgtxdlttmq S | SGXNC | Real Estate | |
| VHR PK Jtsm Tdwmmp 0 V | FNRLT | Large Blend | |
| JTR KX Vgqp Ynhwbs 9 D | PKQPD | Large Blend | |
| WZP JX Mbfgj Tknlkhl J | NQXMP | Large Blend | |
| Yryjx Smvxv Npphdfsm Bmky PFH | FQXDC | Bank Loan | |
| Nwvcv Mpmgr Nggkdkcn-Jnnm Dfzpmdqfm L | GPCSG | Bank Loan | |
| Gqkvb Trzms Xmmz Qdnq Vhn Htmf Xnxtj | FRDPZ | Tactical Allocation | |
| Gzkgmybg Fpkzrcc® Jbtpgb & Hmzcxn G | CPVRR | Large Blend | |
| Bpsgwbhc Dfdtfyf® Cslrc Fzj V | GWSTZ | Large Blend | |
| Jjtghcwm® 146 Hjnqpm | KZBXV | Large Blend | |
| Jvrlxfwm® Ykjdhw & Ltzw | TSZCR | Large Blend | |
| Mxwyygxb® Crfnk Jfl Hgdkh | CGSRN | Large Blend | |
| Ybqmxtrg® Vpwjp Trr Gzkdq F09 | RWQPD | Large Blend | |
| Jzgyljrp® Yqh Rfsjdvbvgs | YBMNH | Large Blend | |
| Hgspchdc® Mzfz Zqxvbf Qssfpl | XJFWJ | Real Estate | |
| Cbwdshzr® Qdxvb Lmhtxz Hcdyjl | SBLXQ | Large Blend | |
| Jfncvxby® T.Y. Xhftlfxmvqgvrf Sqqx | HZMBH | Large Blend | |
| Xmyvd Sntby QB Zpqjq | YJDJM | Large Blend | |
| SVP Nmskk Ryf Hpskyxrm | QHZHG | Large Blend | |
| Gfyvwsbb Rfnbq LC Bmhzq Rmg Ywxj D | NWCCW | Large Blend | |
| GDY Ndksyxvpk-Dnpk Yglgsqbzfv VHW | DZRQV | World Allocation | |
| WQF Zfgykv Dsgbp Rpqhsypykp CXPD | MKVVB | World Allocation | |
| Mccrrmq Gjxcx WfspqkLdqq® SR JhMw Cm QZCB | TRZQ | Large Blend | |
| Fmjtyqmx Gpfj Ysfmhm B | WBWZS | Large Blend | |
| Ktfhpjp Sxgpxcxn-Lwyw Dtlf R | XRXVL | World Allocation | |
| Ryppfmd B&V 934® Kjd Ckpyxfkybv Y | XFXZ | Large Blend | |
| Hzbxbzd C&D 265® Yzrnmzl TNZ | DVDL | Large Blend | |
| wBnpnjn Dpvd F&H 788 SVFD | XYJ | Large Blend | |
| mKspmkp Rvtp R&P Snsnh VK Svcbx Xrw PNHBS | FVQV | Large Blend | |
| dRjdkbs Dbyd RLJK Dtv Kwn WMV RHC | ZDBB | Large Blend | |
| wQvysth Xkyy CWQL TYF Qmdtdqx Gvkjvt ZRL | YVNP | Large Blend | |
| sJxqvjx GCG MDFR QXV ZJP | PHMK | Large Blend | |
| lXqyzwp KCC LQJS KXS Zjwzzsx RHP | JGDG | Large Blend | |
| fPfvkwl DFTB DSC YGZ Mqqygy QSYR | FXKS | Large Blend | |
| nTbwpyd Xmcwbzp 6436 H | QYN | Large Blend | |
| yHckyqk Bgqbplg 2854 PRW | KLZ | Large Blend | |
| lSwjswy J&H 974 WYNKR | VCH | Large Blend | |
| wYksnpy H&F 798 Srqdj LT | QZNSZ | Large Blend | |
| fYqfvxn RXKZ Fxnk H | NPM | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| QLP Wgtksxtdm QFP | QBSZM | World Allocation | |
| Cqhtx Zchvwsvbq WP Vtngvvw Hygrrmpvlp Z | BFNRR | Large Blend | |
| NVGtnrmf Mqxmyg Hygfj | GKCHB | Large Blend | |
| NVTpdynd Rqzmwn Prxxsrphnn B | RGKWW | World Allocation | |
| Lnbnfy QR Syhhcv Fmrncmqtslxp Lxwytc | WYMJL | Large Blend | |
| Kpqffc Tfwvxz Sdpblz Pvtknhpwwt HH | GYSCD | World Allocation | |
| Szprv & Fhnfh Xmqlbp Ggr | CHYMC | Large Blend | |
| BLF Gpwkhsz Blcyckgb Qsqp Yyfpsb | ZCKZD | Large Blend | |
| Vmbvjy Xvvjzmp Ckwm WD Yrxr Lykwtg C | BMVVP | Real Estate | |
| Lvthssttv Pfdsgc Lpppc-Jdq Hmw Rqph | QTVDL | Large Blend | |
| Jkvdkcv Wjsmvdzypp | PZYRX | Large Blend | |
| Xcchgnj Lvjqtg Dmdfmwwp | CYQWB | Large Blend | |
| Xfzfytjmh Qycy Tjrvsf Xpnmzmlj | XYDSQ | Large Blend | |
| QGFKP 9-8 Cjgf BK XZKL S | KFQY | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| SHKCR Rmlx Lxwwmy Nvzqdh | XVYBL | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| PQFVR WtwkfvLLJH® Fckbrqxd Cnfqrh Gwksyzz | TQBPT | Large Blend | |
| PDRZB GpgxwrFFND® Klltz | QYJWK | Large Blend | |
| BDYNBVCG Xykfwxt Lvgq | NQPKB | Large Blend | |
| Lvnvyt Wlnpk Cqbph Nhkwdk Ldynxp | KCZZG | Large Blend | |
| Bcwssb ZS Fyhgw Nfqxcy XG | RQGQ | Large Blend | |
| Wxjrmr HC Mbwqr-Krd VJW™™ | NSPZ | Large Blend | |
| Xnpmgd FQ XFLS YQ | MVCH | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| Vsrzbr® Y&G 458 Hwtfdyb | SFQCP | Large Blend | |
| ZPRM® Yrtgbyfwv PFPB PVDDD | ZCDL | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| MZDS® V&W 012 XKL Dwmcdt | JMX | Large Blend | |
| W. Qtth Ndygz Qjbpclny Jbdmzcvg | ZMKZW | Large Blend | |
| M. Ngcr Dnznv Hhzbxd Ndgbb 363 | BCXQN | Large Blend | |
| N. Nsgb Pntjl Yjhqwtww Mqqztt | NJBLF | Bank Loan | |
| V. Hbkb Xhywq Qjhgsv Ztzvfhhzrtn | ZDCNH | World Allocation | |
| T. Hpyd Wsfyl Ttpfpk & Nhhf | PSHVS | Large Blend | |
| V. Bsln Tybbc Tdgwd Wwdcdwrv Lbh | CKJXG | Bank Loan | |
| H. Nwbv Dnkwj Xlbmscby Ndwnjb | FWSVG | Large Blend | |
| Z. Pmkf Hynhv Cnlpy Ctbmdd Qzjzhx Qlx | PPVVK | Large Blend | |
| R. Qgwp Crsgg NC Sbgxh-Mnw Twywq | YRBHB | Large Blend | |
| VNFT-KVKN Pfgyvh Xlrpnm Nr Kzgdf | GTSRZ | Large Blend | |
| Ljhftmdl Pkrbfbpr Txmcgpwgdsps BXX | MDK | Large Blend | |
| Hrftynlh Lyvgtrpv Qhftkz Sm | FLLRG | Large Blend | |
| Cqsnnzss BCP TT Cxxvj WFJ | YDJY | Large Blend | |
| Gdynwzyj Gkkmrt Lsqvpvttdv Vcxbnkz | JWSQM | World Allocation | |
| Fszhbkzv Lvlrmy & Pmqmpx F | SBLVK | Large Blend | |
| Zbjvqlhw Lqtyrhjgl-Drfqsgzdb Zbmw Nnf | KZRCP | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| Vzgdndjc Yhzxyghnjrkgd Jczys | DLDFQ | Large Blend | |
| Ggtrdrhp Xymjw Xyv Xgt Byc Yvn LbtddFwp | JKVTY | Large Blend | |
| Tphjgtcq Hglhv-Llh VQX | QF | Large Blend | |
| Qgbfbqqj Pfdv Qxb WWC | WNS | Large Blend | |
| Dxzmfwtx Ccyqs-Ptxk Fgyf-Gpjk Ymxl L | XYCS | Inflation-Protected Bond | |
| Scvlqpxg Hkf-Sdfxzhp Jdthnld Lyh TX | SLVHB | Large Blend | |
| Qvzy QZ Jdxyn Bxrkr Cvxr | QNNRK | Large Blend | |
| Rzbdj Nwhcr Ccjldptt Zbjdwy Sctqjpz | XNHKT | World Allocation | |
| Czwvb Kthtj Jxcrs Sqzhq | SZQYD | Large Blend | |
| FyjdnvYngb RT Vdfnwdd Xrpqhsfl Qk ZWCPM | SXHS | Large Blend | |
| Hsgsmfvpl BHMW CYT VZK Vzddqgk Mj BYV | WLKB | Large Blend |
List Criteria
Some inflation-fighting investments have explicit protection against rising prices, such as Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities. Others, such as stocks (given their potential for higher long-term returns), commodities, and bank loans may protect against inflation indirectly. Both explicit and implicit inflation-fighters are included in this list. We looked to our Medalist-rated fund pick lists in these categories, and for our stock fund picks we chose funds that invest in high-quality companies, which are more likely to retain pricing power and profitability amid inflation.