Mackenzie Investments has filed the preliminary prospectus for Mackenzie Destination+ 2018 Fund, the company said Tuesday.

The open-end target date fund is expected to launch in mid-December 2008. It joins Mackenzie’s Destination+ lineup of mutual funds, which are designed specifically for investors who are saving for a specific goal, such as retirement or a child’s post-secondary education.

To achieve the potential for growth, Destination+ 2018 will hold a 75% equity weighting at the outset, Mackenzie said in a release.

With Destination+ funds, an investor simply selects the fund with the maturity date that most closely matches the year they wish to access their money. Mackenzie takes it from there, managing everything from asset allocation to rebalancing investments. Starting with an initial focus on growth, the investor’s asset allocation is modified as the target date of the fund approaches, placing greater emphasis on principal protection.

Mackenzie says the funds differ from other lifecycle or target funds in that Destination+ funds are open-ended target date mutual funds with a guaranteed daily lock-in of net asset value, an investor’s original investment is guaranteed if held to the destination maturity date, and the funds provide greater equity exposure.