Fund-vs-fund · Diversified
ACI Growth Fund vs Lifetime Balanced Fund
Both are Diversified funds available to NZ retail investors. Numbers below are sourced from the FMA Disclose register via Sorted Smart Investor and reflect the latest published quarterly fund updates.
What's different at a glance
- Lifetime Balanced Fund charges 0.62% lower in annual fund charges (0.99% vs 1.61%).
- Both are New Zealand PIE funds — investor tax is capped at the Prescribed Investor Rate (PIR), maximum 28%.
Where each fund sits in its cohort
Percentile rank vs all 67 diversified funds we've matched on Sorted Smart Investor. Mechanical only — no opinion, no forward-looking view.
Annual fund charge
Lower is better
ACI
1.61%
Highest 4% of cohort
Lifetime
0.99%
Lower half of cohort
5-year return p.a.
Past performance — not a predictor
ACI
—
—
Lifetime
—
—
Fund size
Larger = more stable, lower close-risk
ACI
NZ$8m
Smallest 14% in cohort
Lifetime
NZ$10m
Smallest 17% in cohort
| Metric | ACI | Lifetime | Lower / higher is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fund charge | 1.61% | 0.99% | Lower is better |
| Risk indicator (1–7) | 4 | 4 | Higher = more volatility |
| 5-year return p.a. | — | — | Higher is better (past not future) |
| Fund size | NZ$8m | NZ$10m | Larger = more stable, lower close-risk |
| Growth / income split | 78% / 22% | 53% / 47% | More growth = higher long-run return + volatility |
| NZ tax structure | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE (PIR-capped) | PIE = simpler. FIF = annual return. |
| Currency hedging | — | — | Hedged smooths NZD/foreign FX moves at a small cost. |
| Responsible investment screening | No | No | Specific exclusions live in each fund's SIPO. |
| Available via | Direct | Direct | Platforms accepting retail subscriptions. |
Portfolio overlap
How many top-10 positions both funds hold, and at what weight. Computed from each fund's most recently disclosed top-10 holdings — exact-name matched (Microsoft Corp. = Microsoft Corporation), with a Cash / Cash & Equivalents collapse rule.
What each fund says it does
ACI
ACI Growth Fund
The Fund invests predominantly in growth assets such as New Zealand, Australian, international shares and property but includes some income assets. The allocations include a bias towards international diversification, and exposure to these asset classes is achieved by primarily investing in DFA Australia Limited (Dimensional) funds, utilising their Sustainability Trusts where available. Certain underlying Dimensional funds have an increased exposure to shares in small companies, value companies and companies with higher profitability with the objective of benefittFull ACI ACI Growth Fund profile →
Lifetime
Lifetime Balanced Fund
Invests primarily in growth assets with a moderate exposure to income assets. Expected to experience medium to high volatility.Full Lifetime Lifetime Balanced Fund profile →
Common questions
What's the difference between the ACI Growth Fund and the Lifetime Balanced Fund?
Which fund has lower fees, ACI Growth Fund or Lifetime Balanced Fund?
Are both funds PIE-taxed in NZ?
Where can I read the official documents for these funds?
