I’m Retiring Today: These Are the 3 ETFs I’d Buy Right Now

Planning for retirement is essential whether you are two days out or two decades away. As of mid-2026, retirees are navigating a landscape shaped by a 2.8% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and a 10-year Treasury yield hovering near 4.6%, a combination that puts real pressure on anyone living off fixed income.

No single investment strategy guarantees a financially secure retirement, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Some investors build portfolios of individual stocks; many others prefer exchange-traded funds, which offer built-in diversification and, in some cases, generous monthly income. If I were retiring today, here are the three ETFs I would buy.

Choosing among the hundreds of available ETFs can feel overwhelming. But selecting a small number of well-designed funds and staying invested through market cycles is a far more manageable task than picking individual stocks. The three funds below all pay monthly dividends, which makes them especially practical for retirees who need predictable cash flow.

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (NYSEARCA:JEPQ) is a top-tier income ETF with a forward yield of approximately 12.6%, well above what most bond funds or dividend stocks can offer right now. The fund generates that income through a two-step process: it builds an actively managed portfolio of Nasdaq-oriented equities using a data-driven stock-selection model, then overlays out-of-the-money call options on the Nasdaq-100 Index to harvest option premiums as monthly distributions. The expense ratio is 0.35%.

JEPQ owns approximately 100 stocks concentrated in the Nasdaq. Per the JPMorgan fact sheet dated May 31, 2026, the fund allocates roughly 51% to information technology, about 11% to communication services, and around 10% to consumer discretionary. The top 10 holdings account for nearly 42% of the portfolio, with NVIDIA holding the largest single position at 7.4%. The fund has been trading near $60 in recent weeks.

One trade-off worth knowing: JEPQ’s monthly distributions are largely classified as ordinary income rather than qualified dividends, which means they are taxed at the investor’s marginal rate in a taxable account. Holding the fund inside a Roth IRA or traditional IRA sidesteps that drag entirely. For retirees who want a generous, reliable monthly paycheck backed by the world’s largest technology companies, JEPQ remains a strong candidate.

Amplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF

Next is Amplify CWP Enhanced Dividend Income ETF (NYSEARCA:DIVO), which takes a more conservative approach to the covered-call strategy. Rather than writing options against an index, DIVO writes selective covered calls on individual stocks it already owns, which gives the portfolio manager the flexibility to let strong performers run when conditions favor it. The current yield is approximately 4.7%, and the fund has generated a trailing 12-month total return of roughly 16%.

DIVO restricts its holdings to 34 large-cap names, focusing on companies with durable records of dividend growth and earnings expansion. Anchor positions include quality blue chips such as Microsoft and JPMorgan Chase. That focus on resilient businesses helps the fund balance income against capital preservation, a combination that suits retirees who want steady monthly income without accepting excessive equity risk. Shares have recently traded near $46.

Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF

The third pick is Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (NYSEARCA:SPHD), which targets a very specific niche: the 50 S&P 500 stocks that combine the highest dividend yields with the lowest realized volatility. In a rate environment where 10-year Treasuries yield approximately 4.6%, SPHD’s forward yield of roughly 4.85% provides a meaningful income advantage while keeping portfolio swings well below the broader market.

The fund concentrates on value-oriented sectors including energy, consumer staples, and utilities. Current top holdings include real estate investment trusts such as Realty Income and Physicians Realty, alongside Verizon Communications and Pfizer. SPHD pays monthly distributions, making it a practical income tool for retirees who budget on a monthly basis. Over the past year, the fund has delivered a total return of approximately 11% including dividends, with shares trading near $52. The low-volatility mandate means the portfolio tends to hold up better during market pullbacks, which is exactly the kind of downside cushion many retirees need.

Putting It Together

These three funds serve different purposes within a retirement income portfolio. JEPQ contributes the highest raw yield through its Nasdaq-oriented covered-call strategy, DIVO balances income with quality-growth exposure, and SPHD anchors the mix with low volatility and a broad value tilt. Together they cover the income, growth, and stability dimensions that retirees typically need most. Each pays monthly, which means the combined cash flow lands on a predictable schedule throughout the year.

Editor’s note: This article was updated in July 2026 to correct JEPQ’s sector allocations to information technology (approximately 51%), communication services (approximately 11%), and consumer discretionary (approximately 10%) per the JPMorgan May 2026 fact sheet, and to refresh JEPQ’s forward yield to approximately 12.6%, DIVO’s trailing 1-year total return to approximately 16%, and SPHD’s 1-year total return to approximately 11%. The 10-year Treasury yield reference was updated to approximately 4.6% based on mid-July 2026 data, and current share prices were refreshed for all three funds.

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