One of the main benefits of diversification is that you don't have to guess which stocks will be up or down in a given period. That also happens to be one of the benefits of investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which offer exposure to dozens or thousands of companies with the ease of buying and selling a single stock. Put them together and their appeal is obvious for investors without the time or desire to research individual stocks.

There are lots of ways to let the broader market do your work for you as you approach or enter retirement. For investors looking for a well-rounded retirement portfolio, start with these four ETFs.

The Vanguard S 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) mirrors the S 500 index, which tracks the 500 largest stocks traded on the U.S. markets. The S 500 is widely seen as the benchmark you want to beat if you're going to invest in individual stocks. There's no shame in putting your money to work with the likes of Apple, Microsoft, and .

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Source Fool.com