Discover the Top ETFs to Secure Your Golden Years
SAVING | INVESTING FOR RETIREMENT | PLANNING YOUR FINANCES
Your Guide to the Best ETFs for Retirement
Written By Joe (last updated: May 28, 2023)
Ready to retire but concerned about your savings? You’re not alone. Many Americans worry that they won’t have enough to enjoy their golden years. This article is here to help, breaking down how exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can boost your retirement savings.
ETFs are a popular choice for investing your money because they are easily traded on markets just like stocks. This differs from mutual funds, which can only be traded at the end of a business day. ETFs have become favored in the wake of the 2008-2009 financial crisis because they offer a cheap and easy method of investing in a range of stocks, instead of paying costly fees for mutual funds.
Now, let’s take a closer look at ETFs, how they differ from mutual funds and why they are a good option for retirement investments.
What’s an ETF?
ETF stands for “exchange-traded fund”. These funds combine the assets of multiple investors to buy a variety of stocks, bonds, or other types of investments. They are tradeable on the stock exchange just like individual companies’ shares, which makes them extra flexible.
How Do ETFs Differ from Mutual Funds?
ETFs and mutual funds vary significantly in their fees and how easy it is to buy and sell them. ETFs are often cheaper than mutual funds because they don’t have the administrative or marketing fees that mutual funds do. In fact, an ETF’s charges can be much less than 0.1% per year, compared to mutual fund fees which can often exceed 1%. Another bonus, ETFs don’t typically require any commission when purchased, while mutual funds often do.
ETFs also boast a broader investment range, including various resources like gold, emerging markets and many more. Plus, they’re considered more tax-friendly than mutual funds and stocks.
Why Invest in ETFs?
Thanks to their lower costs, flexible tax treatment, and high liquidity, ETFs can be a great investment for all kinds of people. You can also pick from many sectors, asset classes, or interests without needing a hefty initial investment.
As for retirement planning, including ETFs in your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or 401k can increase your yield by reducing associated fees that often eat into your results.
Best ETFs for Retirement
Here are some handpicked ETFs from our team for your retirement planning. We’ve included top dividend ETFs, growing ETFs, index tracking ETFs and ETFs focused on emerging markets. Here are some of them described in brief.
1. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) – A low-cost option for those interested in high-quality dividend-paying US stocks.
2. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) – This is an affordable fund for retirement investment as it enables investment in stocks of 500 different companies.
3. Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) – A good choice for those looking for high dividend yield ETFs.
4. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA) – This allows investment in stocks from different countries, providing global diversification to your portfolio.
5. Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) – This ETF, by tracking the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, provides exposure to large-cap growth stocks in the US.
6. Franklin FTSE India ETF (FLIN) – Offers access to the fast-growing Indian economy with a low expense ratio.
Consider investing platforms like Public and Moomoo for making ETF investments.
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