BlackRock Inc. has introduced a family of nine life-cycle funds.
The BlackRock Lifecycle Prepared Portfolios have target maturity dates ranging from 2010 through 2050 that are designed for defined-contribution plans.
Life-cycle funds, or target-date funds, are designed to become more conservative as the investor's retirement date approaches. Morningstar Inc. lists 150 such funds in the United States.
Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. owns a 49% stake in BlackRock, which is based in New York. The fund family was announced Monday.










