© shapecharge / Getty Images
If you’re looking for a relatively safe way to make more money out of your money during your retirement years, consider exchange-traded funds (ETFs). They can provide you with exposure to hundreds of stocks while also paying high dividends. While buying individual stocks can be risky, ETFs reduce the risk through diversification. You’ll not be dependent on a single stock, and it’ll give broad exposure to the market. I’ve identified three high-yield ETFs ideal for retirees in 2026. Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHD), Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF (BATS:GOLY), and JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (NYSEARCA:JEPI) are worth consideration. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF is one of the best dividend ETFs to own right now. It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 index and owns about 100 dividend stocks. The fund identifies the companies that have raised their dividends for at least 10 consecutive years and doesn’t include real estate investment trusts.
Then it creates a composite score, keeping the return on equity, dividend growth rate, dividend yield, and cash flow to total debt in focus. The companies with the highest scores are included in the index. Thus, you get to own the stocks that have the highest yields and fast-growing dividends.
SCHD has a yield of 3.78% and a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund has the highest allocation in the energy sector (19.34%), followed by consumer staples (18.50%) and healthcare (16.10%). As compared to other tech-focused ETFs, SCHD allocates only 8.30% to the sector. Its top 10 holdings include dividend companies such as Lockheed Martin, Home Depot, AbbVie, Cisco Systems, Chevron Corporation, and Verizon Communications.
The fund has generated annualized returns of 9.48% in 5 years and 11.40% in 10 years. SCHD is exchanging hands for $28.09.
Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF
2025 has seen gold prices exploding to new highs, and nobody can predict when they will plateau. Hence, investing in gold can pay off well. As a retiree, the best way to invest in gold is through Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF. It will build an income stream while offering an exposure to gold’s upside.
GOLY has a dividend yield of 7.25% and an expense ratio of 0.79%. The fund invests in a gold component, a bond component, and a commodity basket component.
The Gold component tracks the performance of gold futures contracts that are listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, while the Bond component invests in U.S. dollar denominated domestic and foreign corporate bonds. It also invests in U.S. Treasury Securities. Lastly, the commodity basket component invests in futures contracts on the energy and precious metals commodities.
The ETF is exchanging hands for $36.36 and is up 45% in the past year, excluding the dividends. The goal of the fund is to offer the right blend of income and capital appreciation. If you believe that gold will continue to soar higher, this ETF can be an excellent bet.
JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF
The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF is another great choice for retirees in 2026. The fund had a trailing yield of about 8.3% at the end of 2025 and an expense ratio of 0.35%.
It offers a wide combination of large-cap U.S. stocks such as Nvidia, Alphabet, Microsoft, and AbbVie. JEPI not only offers capital appreciation but also uses call options on the S&P 500 to generate a premium that supports its monthly dividends. It ensures regular cash flow and has attracted income investors over the past few years.
Its strategy of staying invested in stocks while adding an options element helps boost income and offers long-term upside. It holds a portfolio of 125 stocks that have an upside potential, and it has generated over 10% annual return in the last three years. JEPI has the highest allocation in the information technology sector at 15.1%, healthcare at 12.5%, and industrials at 11.9%. This fund invests in the real estate sector and allows you to own a small part of the industry.
JEPI’s top 10 holdings include a mix of income and growth stocks such as Alphabet, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Nvidia, Visa, and AbbVie. The fund promises to give you a check each month.