5 Safe High-Yield Monthly-Pay ETFs Retirees Love for Huge Passive Income

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By Lee Jackson Published

Quick Read

  • Some on Wall Street expect the first Federal Reserve rate cut at its September meeting.

  • High-yield ETFs that pay monthly dividends should get a boost with a rate cut.

  • Passive income ETFs are one of the best ideas for the rest of 2025 and beyond.

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5 Safe High-Yield Monthly-Pay ETFs Retirees Love for Huge Passive Income

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Many investors in 2025 need dependable passive income, and one outstanding way to achieve this is to invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Unlike open-end mutual funds, ETFs trade on major exchanges like stocks. They own financial assets, including stocks, bonds, currencies, debt, futures contracts, and commodities such as gold bars. The more passive income can help cover rising costs, such as mortgages, insurance, taxes, and other expenses, the easier it is for investors to set aside money for future needs as they prepare for or begin retirement. Dependable recurring dividends from quality monthly pay, high-yield ETFs are a recipe for success.

One significant advantage of owning ETFs is that they can be sold at any time the markets are trading. We screened our 24/7 Wall St. ETF research database and found five top funds that have these qualities:

  • High dividend payout every 30 days.
  • Trades at a discount to net asset value.
  • Major Wall Street firms manage them.
  • Reasonable expense ratio.

Five top funds hit our screens, making sense for investors seeking dependable, monthly distributions rather than quarterly ones. NAV means the current net asset value of the fund.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income

This massive fund has raised billions since its inception in 2020 and is managed by top portfolio managers at JPMorgan. JPMorgan Equity Premium Income (NYSEArca: JEPI) seeks to achieve this objective by:

  • Creating an actively managed portfolio of equity securities significantly comprised of those included in the fund’s primary benchmark, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Total Return Index (S&P 500 Index)
  • Utilizing equity-linked notes (ELNs), selling call options with exposure to the S&P 500 Index

Dividend yield = 8.33% paid monthly

NAV = $56.03

Expense ratio = 0.35%

Assets under management = $39.84 billion

PE ratio = 21.37

Global X U.S. Preferred ETF

This fund focuses on preferred stocks of top U.S. companies. Global X U.S. Preferred ETF (NYSEArca: PFFD) invests at least 80% of its assets in the securities of its underlying index. It supports at least 80% of its assets in preferred domestic securities, principally traded in or whose revenues are primarily from the United States. The underlying index tracks the broad-based performance of the U.S. chosen securities market.

Dividend yield = 6.41% paid monthly

NAV = $18.75

Expense Ratio = 0.23%

Assets under management = $2.29 billion

PE ratio = N/A

Global X SuperDividend REIT ETF

Global X SuperDividend REIT ETF (NASDAQ: SRET) offers investors exposure to the real estate sector. At least 80% of its total assets are invested in the securities of the underlying index, and American depositary receipts (ADRs) and global depositary receipts (GDRs) are based on these securities. The underlying index tracks the performance of REITs that rank among the highest-yielding REITs globally.

Dividend Yield = 8.66% paid monthly

NAV = $20.78

Expense ratio = 0.58%

Assets under management = $181 million

PE ratio = 17.54

Invesco KBW High Dividend Yield Financial Portfolio ETF

Invesco KBW High Dividend Yield Financial Portfolio ETF (NASDAQ: KBWD) focuses on high-dividend financial sector companies, including banks, REITs, and insurance firms. It pays monthly dividends and offers significant income potential but may carry higher volatility due to sector concentration.

Dividend Yield = 13.37% paid monthly

NAV = $13.79

Expense ratio = 1.24% (higher than most due to specialized strategy)

Assets under management = $390 million

PE ratio = 10.29

Global X SuperDividend ETF

Global X SuperDividend ETF (NASDAQ: SDIV) invests at least 80% of its total assets in the securities of the underlying index and in ADRs and GDRs based on the securities in the underlying index. The underlying index tracks the performance of 100 equally weighted companies that rank among the highest dividend-yielding equity securities in the world, including emerging market countries.

Dividend Yield = 8.8% paid monthly

NAV = $23.64

Expense ratio = 0.58%

Assets under management = $924.9 million

PE ratio = 6.01

Five Stocks Trading Under $10 Have Monthly Ultra-High-Yield Dividends

 

Photo of Lee Jackson
About the Author Lee Jackson →

Lee Jackson has covered Wall Street analysts' equity and debt research and equity strategy daily for 24/7 Wall St. since 2012. His broad and diverse career, which included a stint as the creative services director at the NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, gives him unique insight into the financial industry and world.

Lee Jackson's journey in the financial industry spans over 30 years, with nearly two decades as an institutional equity salesperson at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley. His career was marked by his presence on the sell side during pivotal Wall Street events, from the dot.com rise and bubble to the Long Term Capital Management debacle, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. This is a testament to his resilience and adaptability in the face of market volatility.

Lee Jackson’s practical financial industry experience, acquired from a career at some of the biggest banks and brokerage firms, is complemented by a lifetime of writing on various platforms. This unique combination allows him to shed light on the intricacies and workings of Wall Street in a way that only someone with deep insider experience and knowledge can. Moreover, his extensive network across Wall Street continues to provide direct access for him and 24/7 Wall St., a privilege few firms enjoy.

Since 2012, Jackson’s work for 24/7 Wall St. has been featured in Barron’s, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Business Insider, TradingView, Real Money, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Benzinga, and other media outlets. He attended the prestigious Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and has a degree in broadcasting from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.

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